Kingdom Hearts: Cracks of the Past
by AuraofOblivion
Summary: Set after DD. With Luna missing, Sora finds himself increasingly distanced from his friends as clashes in objectives arise when an order of Keyblade Knights sworn to protect the worlds seek his elimination. A clash of two lights is about to ensue, and Sora and Luna will have to make frightening choices when a secret is discovered that will change their ideas of the world forever.
1. Solitude: For the Girl Who Has Nothing

_Because I feel extremely happy this week what with me starting uni and FINALLY some news of FFXV, welcome back to the Dual Destinies trilogy, or To the Ends of the Earth trilogy as I like often alternate. It's great to be back and writing in this universe and hearing the news about FFXV only made me more eager to post this. Originally I had planned to debut this in October, but why torture you? You can have this chapter right now. _

_Just want to say thank you once more to every single reader and follower out there whose input in every way helped shape the first part of the trilogy and even what is to come. Will this be as long as Dual Destinies? Can't say but what I do know is that I hope to have fun writing every single chappie as much as I did the last one. I can say however that there are a lot of thoughts swirling in my mind as to where this is headed, and I consider Dual Destinies to often be a theme of summer heaving into fall, so you can imagine that this will be fall heading into winter. Yeah, we're gonna have fun with this, hehehe. Without further ado, I present a story that will single handedly put Shakespeare to shame (okay, that's impossible). _

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 1<strong>

**Solitude: For the Girl Who Has Nothing**

On a day much like any other where the good neighbor catered to their garden by watering their flowerbeds; where the mailman – his shirt off to keep cool from the hot summer weather – made it his mission to beat his personal best time in which he delivered his mail each day; where kids were running up and down the suburban neighborhood yelling at the top of their lungs as they participated in ball games or tag, an eight year old girl was staring absentmindedly out of her window. Her brown hair was braided and tied up in a ponytail and her clear blue eyes seemed to contain too much mystery behind them making it impossible to tell what the girl was really thinking most of the time.

For what they knew of this girl, boisterous was not one of the words they would use to describe her. Unlike most of the other children playing on the street, she was reserved, mostly keeping to herself and passing the time with books from the local library as well as helping her parents out when they required it. The people who really knew her though, knew her to be an energetic and playful young individual with a thirst for knowledge. Her father and mother (a fisherman and doctor respectively) were both kind-natured souls and had introduced her to the world of books through fairy tales. For what it was worth and she was extremely proud of this, she had the highest reading level for her age group at school. One of her favorite books had even been _A Midsummer Night's Dream_ which, although she had hardly understood, it had still somehow managed to leave a fluttery feeling inside that she couldn't quite explain. It was as if she felt... lighter. Little things like that made her feel special in a world that was all too normal for her taste.

There was something else that made her different from most others, and she wasn't sure whether she hated it or not because it made her feel unusual. She had always wondered about the stars ever since reading her first fairy tales. If she could reach the sky and touch what was beyond, what would she find? Was there something beyond this simple world? When she asked her mother whether this type of thinking was normal, she replied by saying that it was in her blood to curious and daring. She had heard stories from her father that her mom as a teenager had been much different than the woman he had eventually married. Personally, she wasn't sure whether to believe him or not. She couldn't imagine that her mom could be so different from today, but then again she was only eight so she was sure it was an age thing that would make sense over time.

The girl pressed her hands up against the cool window glass and watched as a couple of birds flew by. She wondered how they were able to do something like this when she could only so much as jump and even then she wouldn't be able to reach their h. In one of her books there had even been a snowman that had become real and had taken flight, but she knew the difference between fiction and reality. Even so, it didn't stop her from wishing that she would wake up the next to find herself in that fiction.

Scattered across her room were a bunch of toys that she had been playing with recently for what else could she do to live out her dreams of fantasy. She indulged in coming up with scenarios or simply re-enacting things she had seen in books and films. As long as her imagination could run wild, she didn't feel as restricted by her simple, ordinary life as she would've been without it.

The walls were a light blue, decorated in floral patterns with posters of some of her favorite cartoon characters on them. In between two of these posters was a wardrobe which did not serve as a gateway leading to some make believe land, as she often wanted imagine it. That hadn't prevented it from being useful however, having served as a successful hiding place several times during her hide and seek sessions with her mother, and of course she wasn't ignoring the reality of the fact that at the end of the day it was simply for storing clothes.

"Luna dear, are you coming down to eat?" A voice called from down below. That would have been her father, the playful jester of the family and of a caring and gentle disposition that had made the girl love him all the more.

"Coming dad." Luna yelled back and she tip toed out of the room, being careful not to step on the multiple toys scattered around the room like booby traps. She managed to safely leave the premises and started off in a normal walk down the stairs and to the small kitchen.

"Toddfield seemed to have booked the day off before I could. And to think, what a coincidence that we were planning on taking a vacation on the same day. And I was looking forward to some mountain hiking." Her father sighed and rubbed at the bridge of his nose in frustration.

"You mean we can't go? That's not fair! Tell them to do it another day." Luna complained banging her fists on the table.

"Luna, what did I tell you about doing that? If you don't stop you'll end up breaking the table… and you'll have to pay for it." Said her mother, adding in the last few words jokingly.

"Oopsie, sorry." Luna scratched her head before saying, "But Auntie Kit hasn't given me my pocket money yet."

"Well she has, it's just that you keep spending it on more toys." Her mom chided.

"Oh come on Kay, like you weren't reckless with your allowance back in the day. I say let Luna spend it on whatever she wants. It's not like she's planning to build some kind of gigantic super laser, although that would be quite cool on second thought… actually Luna, definitely keep doing it-OW!" Her father was quickly cut off from his eager mood when her mother punched him on the shoulder lightly.

"Oh I'm so sorry, I just felt like doing that all of a sudden Ronan. You know how it is." Kay apologized with a hint of playfulness.

"Oh, I know it all too well." Ronan said and gulped. He was about to go back to eating his dinner went he noticed the rather absent expression on Luna's face. "Honey, I promise you that we'll go some other time. I know how much you've wanted to go hiking and I wouldn't let you down for the world."

"You promise, right?" Luna asked giving the most determined yet hopeful expression she could muster.

"Hey, in this family we never break our promises, didn't you know that?" Ronan grinned and offered his hand to Luna who cleared her throat professionally and shook his hand in a way that imitated a typical business person.

Dinner was lively as always, composing of Luna asking her dad multiple questions about what mountain hiking was like. He had told her that Alexander had been a city that had fallen to the trap of building on the synthetic and so as a result of this a certain beauty of nature had been lost. Where one could have once seen the mountains from the city centre a decade ago, such a view was now obstructed by large skyscrapers and apartment blocks. While some of these landmarks were quite spectacular to look at such as the recently refurbished royal palace, the Turm des Himmels, an amazing tower which seemed to stretch up into the heavens itself, and the opera house, some of the more modern buildings were gray and dull certainly containing no meaning to them and were mixed in with the more traditional romantic architecture of the city creating something that was completely sporadic. Even though night time provided a wonderful spectacle of lights reflecting its image in the canal, Luna much preferred something else, something that she had found on her own and had not told her parents about.

"Such is the horror felt by the traditional day artist," said her mother with a shrug, "If we let the architects do the talking from now on, the type of artists we used to know back in the day will be long gone."

"Uh huh." Luna said with a nod, having very little idea what she was talking about. Once again, she supposed it was just a thing of being too young to understand.

"I never cared much for museums. When you tried to drag me along every time to look at the paintings, I always made excuses that I was with some friends." Ronan remarked and he pulled a disgusted face at Luna who giggled in return.

"You probably hated them because they revealed your own lack of talent." Kay was quick on the attack and let out of smile of triumph.

"Oh snap." Luna mimicked something one of her friends at school said and eagerly yet unconsciously banged her fists on the table again.

"Luna, again?" Kay said and the eight year old quickly apologized before her mother could raise a storm over it.

"Oh yes, I almost forgot. Auntie Kit wanted some help with a few deliveries. May I be excused?" Luna asked after finishing her dinner.

"Doesn't she usually come to pick you up? I'm not sure it's a good idea letting a eight year old girl out by herself…"

"Oh come on mom, I know the neighbourhood well enough. I promise I won't take any detours. I'll go straight there, and come right back after the rounds." Luna pleaded putting on quivering lips and big eyes.

"Oh dear, you really are your father aren't you?" Kay let out a small laugh.

"And that's a bad thing?" Ronan replied however at Kay's threatening glance, returned to eating the food on his plate.

"Okay, but report back to the house at 1900 hours stat on the double missy, I don't want you wandering around places you shouldn't be. Straight to Kit's and back, understood?" Kay allowed resignedly. Luna nodded and shot forward out of her chair, out of the kitchen, around the corner and to the door. She put on her flat sandals and left the house quickly in a rush.

It was the hottest day of the year so far, according to the weather reports at least, and they certainly weren't wrong about that. Luna felt the effects of the scorching intense heat almost as soon as she had left the house. Usually green bushes, grass and hedges in front of her house and others were now dry and yellow, no doubt wishing they could be drenched in cool water. Of course a hose ban due to the current drought made that wish impossible at the moment. She tried to remember the last time it had rained. Possibly, it had almost been a month ago and considering that Alexander usually had its fair supply of rainfall, it had come as a surprise to most that this exhausting heat had come out of nowhere and was possibly here to stay for a while longer.

This did not stop the children in her neighbourhood from playing however, and even though she could hear complaints as she walked down the street, they were typically ignored for the most part. They, and some of the adults, had even stopped their activities to take the time to greet Luna as she passed them. She responded to them as politely as she could, though the beating sun certainly tempted her to hurry her efforts even more to Kit.

As far as Kit's Bakery goes, it was the go to place for any type of pastry or bread. Her parents were very close to Kit with them even allowing her to babysit Luna on certain nights when they were busy or wanted some alone time together. Luna had become swept away by her lavishness when it came to cooking. She had always been overly abundantly worried about the quality of her baked goods, having gone so far as to have Luna test taste them during her time as a babysitter. Though she was a little too concerned with her pride as a baker, she had always found time to play with Luna either way as well as renting books from the library just to read to her so it was only natural that Luna would have eventually taken to referring to her as an aunt even if they weren't related.

Much like its owner, the shop was lavishly decorated from head to toe with rows of recently made bread of all types on the left side of the shop and pastries on trays sorted into similar rows and placed behind the glass counter where Kit stood. Cupcakes and cookies among other assorted pastries one could think of were all here and had all been tried at some point by Luna who was surprised that she hadn't gotten fat off of eating them so much.

"Well if it isn't little Luna just in time. I was just about to come to your house actually. Don't tell me your parents let you come here by yourself now did they?" Kit asked. She was plump woman with rosy cheeks and the frizzy red hair and freckles to match. As with most people, she had abandoned the familiar cardigan that Luna usually saw her wearing due to the humidity.

"I'll grow and I won't be so little anymore, and they said it was okay as long as I come here and back right after." Luna answered feeling slightly annoyed at the mention of her h.

"Oh ho ho, well aren't you a little cutie. Well I can see that annoyed look on your face so let's not dwell on it and get to work shall we?" Kit said before moving over to the intricately weaved straw baskets that were next to the counter. For the next hour, Luna and Kat spent their time at the old retirement home which was situated in the middle of a block of apartments. From time to time, one of the errands that Kat asked of Luna was to assist her to said housing facility in order to deliver some baked goods to the elderly there. On more than one occasion, Luna had sat down with Kit to listen to stories of the old—an experience Kit claimed would become more satisfying than any fiction book Luna was to read. This had turned out to be half true. Luna hadn't really found heard anything fascinating though there were the occasional stories by certain people, her favourites belonging to an old man who used to be a police officer. Today however, she had to make an exception to hearing these tales feeling quite uncomfortable in the heat and as promised, returned to her house with Kit supervising her at least until Luna had arrived back on her street.

"Auntie Kit, do you think there's something out there?" Luna had suddenly asked as they turned onto another street.

"Like UFOs and aliens? Could be. Not that I think we should be busy having our heads high up in the clouds. We have enough to worry about on the ground, don't you think so?" Kit said. "You're only eight; you don't need to worry about those things right now. Just keep going to school and be a normal kid and before you know it you'll have more opportunities thrown at you than you can count your Chocobos, especially if you get good grades."

"But what if I don't want to be normal? Normal is boring, that's what I read in one of my books." Luna said. Once again she had to suffer from Kit ruffling her hair, a common trait that occurred whenever Luna acted older than her age.

"Normal is as normal does. If you honestly ask me, I don't think most people are as normal as they claim to be. But you should be careful what you wish for Luna, you don't know what you're missing until it's truly gone." Kit advised but Luna wasn't so sure she was willing to take those words to heart. She had always considered normal boring, even her own mother did, who had told her that the word normal, much like the word perfect, didn't have much meaning to her. It probably wasn't that Kit's analysis was wrong, it was just that Luna believed that her mother's analysis was right, and having taken after her mother's sense of adventure at a young age apparently, that was probably why she felt this way.

By the time Luna and Kit had arrived on the street, the day was slowly approaching its end and an orange glow bathed the sky which casted its shadows over the opaque objects on the ground. Even with this development, most of the kids were still out playing and some neighbours were even comfortably sunbathing on their lawns with towels underneath them.

"Well, I need to get back to the store now Luna. If you need help, don't forget that I'm always here for you." said Kat with a worried look on her face.

"I know. Thank you auntie Kit." Luna said and gave her the usual warm and appreciative hug. After saying their final goodbyes, Luna set off for the house and was about to knock on the door when she paused and held off. She looked down the end of the road to make sure that Kit was gone before taking off once again down the road. She was hoping that her parents wouldn't mind much, though that wasn't likely but as long as they believed that she was still with Aunt Kit then she figured it would be alright in the end. She hated lying to her parents of course but she really felt like going to her special place, a place where she felt as if she was closer to the stars than she could ever be.

She had been down this route so many times that it almost felt more natural than going to school for her. She honestly didn't know how she kept getting away with being away from home sometimes at night and she was sure by now that her parents were more or less suspicious of her actions. Without much trouble, she arrived at a green hill just on the outskirts of town and took her regular place, sitting down on the convenient log and closing her eyes as the heat tickled her face.

The stars soon appeared as the sun slowly disappeared beyond the horizon. She finally opened her eyes and looked up into the sky dreamily. Here were a billion bright treasures as if they had been tailored specifically for her. Here she knew nothing of reality or normal, only what was above and what she sought after. Was it simply too much to wish upon a star that she would one day fly up to meet one?

"Um, excuse me. Do you-" An unfamiliar voice shook her out her thoughts and her eyes soon met with the intruder. Something that had caught Luna's eye was that the boy had become quite dumbfounded after asking the question, his blue eyes searching for answers just as much as she had wanted to know the answer of how he had stumbled upon her secret place. Perhaps the most curious feature he possessed was his brown spiky hair…

Luna was to know no rest in the realm of darkness. She found it to be a miracle that she was still alive considering she had been running for what had felt like forever, and this had not been the only time. Many instances had she found herself overwhelmed by the army of darkness that had gathered here. Her clothes were torn and dirty, the result of having flung her own body out of harm's way several times or making a silly mistake concluding in a successful hit from the enemy. To her, this place, these creatures—they had become the very thing her nightmares came to represent and only added to her worries, if worrying about her troubled past was not enough of a problem.

The Heartless—creatures born from the darkness in people's hearts; predators relying purely on instinct; obeying the will of those strongest… all of this, truly meant nothing when it came to the Heartless in this realm. They reacted differently, more ruthlessly and constantly with an aggressive plan in mind. They preyed on Luna's heart sensing her vulnerability and they knew to give her no time to think like the ones on the other side. They still acted on instinct, but they were also very careful, something Luna had never seen before. As she ran through them, Luna flung her Dream Seeker Keyblade forward only for the Neo Shadows to jump out of the way. They were studying her… watching her every move. This was their territory and she was but an unwelcome trespasser stepping into a den of hungry lions (she soon excused this thought in remembrance of her lion friends at Pride Rock).

The sand underneath her feet slowed down her process and she could feel tiny grains of the stuff in her shoes and underneath the soles of her feet, making things even more uncomfortable. From the left, from the right, they all came with a vigorous desire for blood that Luna had never seen before. She barely looked either side before flicking her Keyblade both ways casting Aeroga which blew the chasers off course.

Seeing her destination in sight just up ahead, Luna jumped onto safe ground from the sand and took off in a full sprint towards the concealed passage hidden by broken twigs and bushes. Her body was in pain and she felt as if she could drop at any second but still she pressed on. Just as she thought she was going to make it safely, a neo shadow spun its body vertically forward and connected with Luna, its claws managing to scrape Luna arm. She yelped in pain and turned around before smashing her Keyblade down on the Heartless in anger. If that had been the end of her problems she would have took some time to come to terms with what had happened, but even that was impossible as the Heartless were still following her. She turned quickly and ran over to the obstruction, pulling apart the twigs and bush before stepping into the dark cave.

It was a small corridor filled with dirt and Luna had to lean her head forward to make sure she didn't hit the ceiling but she finally relaxed when she eventually emerged out at a much bigger and spacious room. Immediately she leaned up against a rock and pulled her sleeve up, revealing a gash where the claws had struck her. She winced at it before holding her Keyblade above her and casting Curaga. As the healing process occurred, she closed her eyes and remembered back to simpler times.

"Be careful what you wish for Luna, you don't know what you're missing until it's truly gone." She repeated words someone had told her long ago. All she had to live on her were memories, some of a distant past and some of a closer one. She had long since considered them to be the key to her survival here and they were only thing keeping her from giving up. The conversation she was thinking off had brought up the topic of 'normal', a word which had never really jived with Luna. The question now was did she regret missing out on this normal life? Had she not been so curious in stars in the first place, Alexander wouldn't have burned to the ground and her parents wouldn't have died by her hands.

The green glow around her body soon disappeared and she looked at her arm only to see the wound close up leaving a bright red mark in its place. Not for the first time, it had her that she was in _his _world. These Destiny Islands with their lush tropical trees, their golden sand, blue waters and the fabled Paopu tree she had heard so much about? These were only images she could imagine in her mind for the place she was in seldom resembled how it had been described.

It was then that Luna had come to understand why she had gone through all that trouble to be anything but normal. _He _had promised her that he would take her to see the stars and he had done so. She had never looked back even if her ultimate goal at the end was to recover her memories. She had them now but she had regretted it instantly when she had learned the horrific truth. But he had understood her; he had even still wanted to protect her regardless of the truth he knew. If normal meant never meeting friends like that in the first place then she didn't want any part of it.

A bright glow shook her out of her thoughts and turned her attention towards something like a wooden door at the back of the cave. There wasn't a handle with which to open this door with but there was something just as good. A large keyhole had appeared in the middle of the door with light peeking through the edges of its shape. Luna pointed the Dream Seeker at the keyhole and watched its beam of light radiate from the tip and strike its target. A click was soon heard followed by the keyhole disappearing, and then the door, and then the walls around her. The world itself dissolved in front of Luna's eyes until she was eventually left with a dark sky and a sinister path underneath which she would have to take for her next journey.

She had done this once already and had seen this exact same thing with another world and she could only guess what was happening. Her hope was that she was sending the worlds back to their original states, and if that theory was true then _he _and his friends would be extremely happy when they came across it next.

Luna looked up into the sky. There were too many stars to count but the thing to note was that they all seemed to share the same sky no matter how distant the realm of light and darkness seemed. She wondered if he looked up at these very same stars too at night, dreaming of a reunion and a heart-warming smile to go along with it. Here were a billion bright treasures as if they had been tailored specifically for her… no, for the both of them.

She smiled weakly. "Sora, pick a star… any star. That's where I'll be."

* * *

><p><em>Yeah, she's still alive, just in case any of you wondering. Huh, I wonder how long it has been... oh well, expect the next chapter in a day or two and remember that feedback is very much welcome, negative or positive, whatever it takes to shape this trilogy into a great one. And whoever this Luna person is in FFXV, she better not be a Keyblade wielder, just saying. <em>


	2. La Vie en Rose

**So we're starting this off with a bang and as promised in Dual Destinies, you are going to be seeing a lot more of Riku and Kairi in this story. The latter is certainly the more interesting of the trio because... well, we have no idea what she's like since she ends up getting kidnapped a lot. So here you go, SRK in action and building on a supposed friendship which felt more empty than Roxas, Axel and Xion's, which is funny because they are in fact Nobodies. **

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 2<strong>

**La Vie en Rose**

A magnificent day was made even more so by the beautiful orange and red sky that draped itself over the city of Paris. In this large city, if one were to look up closely at the cathedral of Notre Dame and perhaps more specifically at one of the bell towers, they would have just been able to make out a boy if they were squint their eyes. A light wind swept through the air causing Sora to shudder slightly but nonetheless he kept his sights trained on something.

Finally he acted. He jumped off of the bell tower, his foot making contact with a line that was attached which he used to grind from the building he had jumped from to another building across the square. The line was itself barely even seemed to acknowledge his weight mostly due to the fact that he was using a gravity spell underneath that kept him light. This boosted his confidence all the more that it wouldn't snap in half.

He soon reached the roof of the other building and rolled to soften his landing only to spring forward not a moment sooner with his Keyblade and take out the flying Heartless in his path. He started running across the roof slicing and dicing his way through the Heartless in the process and jumping from one rooftop to the next as he did so. A longer jump required him to wall run and kick off the wall's surface using the momentum to transfer energy to his foot which allowed him to leap to the longer distanced roof. He landed just in time to see out of the corner of his eye as Blue Rhapsody casting a blizzard spell at him. He side flipped out of the way before sending fire magic it back at the vulnerable fiend taking it out.

He continued forward taking out the rest of the Heartless on the way. Down below on the streets were people going about their daily lives completely unaware that a battle was taking place on the rooftops. For people living in houses opposite the ones he was jumping on who were looking out their windows just to take in the view or to hang clothes to dry on their clothing line, their faces showed utter confusion and horror as they saw a strange boy running across the rooftops and taking out the strange creatures that had been attacking the town for months with some equally strange weapon resembling a key. As he passed a few of those clearly disturbed people, he looked at them and grinned before focusing back on his mission.

"Mon Dieu!" One of the residents exclaimed shutting his window before his son and daughter could wave in delight at the strange boy.

Sora took one final leap and landed on another rooftop a few feet away from his target. He was far away from the cathedral now having reached the inner walls of Paris, one of several that had been built throughout the city and had sectioned it off into smaller secluded chunks of land.

"That's enough Kefka, you have nowhere to run!" Sora yelled. He aimed his Keyblade at the hunched over clown and proceeded slowly towards him.

"Blah blah blah, I've heard it all before. I have a right to a lawyer don't I?" Kefka replied with a smile.

"W-what? No, you're coming with me." Sora said, "And you're not exactly in any position to be making jokes right now. I'm sure you and the people you're working with know who I am by now."

Kefka assumed the mantle of a clock placing his finger on his lips and looking left to right. "Name… name… oh, you're the person who lost his marble right? What was it again? Luna or something like that?"

"How did you-?" Sora was about to ask but Kefka interjected quickly.

"Who doesn't know by now? How you've raised an absolute party trying to find her even though you can't face the reality that she's long kicked the bucket." Kefka said.

Sora grinded his teeth together and kept his eyes and Keyblade trained on the clown. Eventually he relaxed and said, "As I said before, you're going to come with me and you're going to tell me the names of everyone you're associated with."

"And just how do you plan to get this information from me? You don't exactly look the type that would torture a poor innocent little clown like me." Kefka said.

"First of all, you're far from innocent. Second, I really hate clowns so I can make you the exception." Sora said.

"Oh, you must be a blast at parties." Kefka laughed before he swung the arm that had been concealed behind him forward in an overarching motion. A Minute Bomb Heartless flew out of Kefka's hands and soared forward at Sora who was taken aback by this development. Before he could even block, a third figure appeared leaping in and, like a tornado, cut through the Heartless with their Keyblade.

"You're late Kairi." Sora said with a grin as his friend landed on her feet next to Sora.

"Not late enough apparently. Maybe I should have waited a few more seconds." Kairi replied. The red head stood up straight and brandished Destiny's Embrace in her hand proudly.

"Yeah, just a few more, not that I've ever known you to be late before. Aren't you the one who's always pestering me to arrive at school early? And now it comes to my life and you couldn't possibly have picked a more dramatic time to come in and save me? All I'm asking is for a little consistency." Sora said.

"All you're asking for is a bonk on the head Porom style. Be glad I came not a moment later." Kairi said before finally looking at Kefka for the first time. "Is the clown giving you trouble Sora?"

"As if. I'm just trying not to remember really horrible memories of being turned into a clown in Disney Town. Who was that by again? Oh, that's right, it was you." Sora reminded her.

"Oh, did that happen? Can't really remember it, woopsie." Kairi brushed it off with an uncomfortable laugh.

"You remember winning an award but not the part where you made me, Donald and Goofy into clowns? You must have a really selective memory." Sora said sarcastically.

While the two friends were engaged in their own world of endless banter, an impatient Kefka was stamping his feet impatiently. Rather than approaching the rational thought of attempting to leave while his two seekers chatted with each other, his furiousness over being ignored took precedent. Eventually he could take no more and cut the two off, "This is just… UNACCEPTABLE. Oh yes, I'll just stand here and wait while the two of you blabber on like an old married couple. Do I look like a waiter?" Kefka jumped up and down frantically in disbelief.

"Well, you _are _waiting for us to capture you so…" Kairi pointed out the clown's lack of rationality.

"Ah." Kefka blinked before smiling nervously. "Well I'll just be on my way then. I'll be free on Saturdays, maybe Wednesda- no, can't make that, dentist appointment. Oh well." Kefka turned around only to have another Keyblade pointed at him, this one much closer.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you." Riku said pressing the Way to the Dawn into Kefka's chest. This forced the clown to step backwards.

"It's like you guys like coming in at the most convenient of times." Sora said shaking his head at Riku's sudden arrival on the scene. "So what happens now?"

"We take him back to Master Yen Sid and get him to tell us about the others he's working for." Riku explained. "It's going to be a pain having to listen to him on the Gummi Ship on our way back there though."

"Just duct tape his mouth shut or something. He can't be a clown if he can't talk." Kairi acknowledged as both her and Sora moved closer towards Riku and Kefka.

"Now wait just a moment. Three against one? I would hardly call this fair. You're all so mean. Whatever shall I do?" Kefka cried dramatically.

"Uh oh." Riku sensed the danger and jumped back just in time to see a wall of ice emerge from the ground between him and Kefka. Gasps left Sora and Kairi's mouths and they started off into a run but it was too late. Kefka jumped off of the rooftop only to appear to be flying a few seconds later, the most peculiar thing being that it was a wave of ice that was lifting him and one other, a girl with blonde hair and a blue dress that sparkled like diamonds in the evening sun. This wave of ice grew higher and distanced itself from Sora, Riku and Kairi until it was successfully over the inner walls and out of sight.

"I can't believe it, he got away!" Sora clutched the sides of his head in disappointment. The possibility of Kefka having an accomplice had not even crossed his mind. Worse yet, any information that they could have possibly obtained was now lost.

"Kairi and I scouted the area beforehand for any other suspicious characters but we didn't find any. It says a lot about the world that she was able to hide from us so easily. It's possible she even blended into the crowd or maybe she found a hiding place. This city has a lot of streets so it's not surprising that we could have missed one or not covered one as thoroughly as we could have." Riku considered furrowing his brows in annoyance.

"Even worse, they've certainly made a spectacle of their escape. Look at this." Sora brought Riku and Kairi's attention to the pillar of glistening ice that had extended up into the sky and over the wall. Below the house they were on they could see that the street was scarcely a looker of its former self, now being littered with shards of ice sticking out of the ground and pointing in various directions.

"That's sure to raise a few eyebrows." said Kairi. They all knew that it would raise more than just a few. People were already starting to gather in numbers due to their curiosity and it was only going to become a more controversial topic by the end of the day. It was an act of magic, a certain something that the town already feared with the attacks carried out by the Heartless. It was also something that one man in particular could use as leverage to further push his point. Judge Frollo was one of the people who had eventually arrived on the scene to witness the act of 'witchcraft' and in his mind cogs were already turning.

He pushed his way through the crowd until he reached the ice and he placed his hands on it before speaking loudly, "You see this? This is the act of gypsies, strange in their ways and conniving in their goals. They wish to destroy this great city and bring all we have worked for to chaos, for that is all the gypsy knows. Make no mistake, I am sure that this act is but one of many that will continue as long as the people of Paris do nothing. This coupled with those evil demons that have attacked us relentlessly day and night; this is no coincidence I assure you. We must prepare ourselves for the worst, or face the wrath of their evil magic."

There were cries of "Hear, hear" and other similar yells of agreement from the crowd listening. Frollo, who had been called crazy many a time by the townsfolk for his beliefs, seemed to be warming his way into their hearts. Sora looked away in disgust. His tactics echoed those used by the Reapers in Traverse Town to get the citizens to fear the selected Players. While that had been a supposed experiment, this was very real. This was fear incarnate taking place right in front of his eyes.

"This man really believes what he's saying is true doesn't he? It's sickening." Kairi said who unlike Sora, could not turn her eyes away from the scene and watched as even more people joined to hear the ranting of a mad man.

"He sees life differently than us. I suppose it's the opposite of seeing life through rose-tinted glasses." Riku said.

Kairi shook her head. "Or maybe he does see this incident through rose-tinted glasses. He looks at is as an opportunity where he can only see the things pleasant to him, his chance to convince people of his vision of the world." Finally she turned away and looked at the both of them. "We can't allow him to hurt anyone. He's already kept Quasimodo from the outside world by using fear and we can't allow him to use fear to control everyone here."

"I agree, but about the two that escaped. Do you think if we followed the ice we'd be able to find them?" Sora asked.

"I would've assumed that they were long gone by now, or at least far away. I certainly wouldn't want to be anywhere near the people who were chasing me if I were them." Riku said.

Sora nodded thoughtfully before trying to figure out their next course of action. "We shouldn't stay here any longer. Let's go back to the inn and plan out what we're going to do tomorrow. It's getting late and I don't know about you guys but I am hungry."

Kairi giggled. "A giant pillar of ice appears in the middle of the city attracting attention and Sora wants to eat. That's our Keyblade Master."

"Hey, think of the positives. At least it will be a great tourist attraction." Sora said giving a light-hearted shrug and a smile.

* * *

><p>When Sora, Riku and Kairi arrived at the inn, they caught sight of an unexpected face that had been waiting for them by the stone steps.<p>

"Esmeralda!" Sora exclaimed in surprise at her appearance. She was wearing a cloak but her emerald green eyes and long beautiful ebony hair could still be seen from the front. She placed her finger on her lips to silence them before pointing to the bakery that was next to the inn. The trio nodded in understanding and followed Esmeralda into the shop with Riku closing the door behind them. Other than the baker that was standing behind the counter and kneading dough with his hands there were no other people in the shop, most people would likely either be checking out the Ice spectacle on the other side of town or would be in their homes and off the streets by now.

"I'm sorry about that, I couldn't be seen out in the open talking to you. Judge Frollo has ordered a witch hunt on me and the other gypsies. If the guards saw me talking to you then they would have thought you with me." Esmeralda said.

"That's understandable… Esmeralda, was it?" Riku asked to make sure he had heard Sora correctly before. When she nodded, he continued. "How did you know we would be at the inn?"

"I met with Quasimodo back at the cathedral. He told me that you three had been staying here for about three days now trying to help Quasi out with his problem." Esmeralda answered him before looking at all three of them. "Have you found a cure or any information that could lead us to one?"

Sora nodded. "Yeah, there might be a way…" he said and paused before looking at Riku and Kairi. Helping Quasimodo hadn't been the only reason they had come here, but his problem certainly was a step in the right direction to answering one of their questions. Their main problem was trying to find Luna.

It had been three months since the fated battle against Abraxas and over those months Sora had worried himself to the point where Riku and Kairi were the ones who were looking after him. Though he smiled in front of them, his worries could not deceive his best friends who constantly asked him if he were alright. In all truth, it was annoying having to hear their worries about him while the question of Luna's fate was still hanging in an air of uncertainty. For all he knew she could have been dead, but he had chosen not to believe it. Even if she had somehow survived, for how long was she to survive after that? So here they were searching for any potential clues as to her whereabouts and they had not come across a single thing yet.

All Sora could do for now to honor her memory was to help the other Chimeras who were in possible trouble. Quasimodo had told them of how Esmeralda's constant visits since Sora, Luna, Donald and Goofy's last visit had helped him to maintain his human form, though he was certainly under a lot of pressure what with Frollo's new aggression against gypsies and his fear of the townsfolk scorning him for his deformity.

"Uh, are you sure it's okay talking here? I mean…" Riku nudged his head at the baker in the back but the man seemed to catch this nudge and looked up from his dough at the four of them.

"Heh, you didn't think I was listening in? Don't worry, Esmeralda's a good friend of mine, I'd never give her up to Judge Frollo and his goons. Of course if they heard me saying this right now, well, let's just say I would be in serious danger." The baker said and laughed heartily though the trio weren't too sure what was funny about the thought of facing possible execution. "By the way, wasn't there a girl by the name of Luna with you when you last came here? I remember her because she didn't really look like she was from around here, well, here and you three I should say. I was kind of hoping that I could have her opinion on some of my bread."

"Luna…" Try as he might, Sora could not find the words to tell the baker the painful truth.

Fortunately it was Riku who came to his rescue. "She was feeling under the weather so we couldn't really bring her. It's much more important that she stays in bed and recovers as soon as possible." He said without stutter making the lie itself much more painful to Sora. He almost wished that what Riku was saying was truly the case here.

"That's unfortunate. Well, maybe some other time." The baker said before returning to pounding the dough into shape.

"So what do you have on Quasi's condition?" Esmeralda asked returning them to the focus of the conversation.

"We've figured that retracing Abraxas', the guy that made Quasi like that into a Heartless, steps we can find some clues to helping him, or at least that's what we thought. But the problem is that the trail's gone cold." Sora started.

"So… you're saying that you have nothing." Esmeralda concluded slowly.

"No, well yes but there's still hope. There's one person I think that might be able to help him. That person is like Quasi, they're a Chimera which is what we call his type of Heartless. But unlike Quasi, this person was able to fight off that darkness on their own. So we think that they might be immune to it somehow, the problem is that we don't know where they are so we're searching." Sora told her with caution. They had already made an excuse that Luna was ill so outright telling them the person's name would have only added to the confusion.

"I see. Can you tell me the person's name?"

"Oh it wouldn't be… anyone you know so don't worry about it. They're probably not even in this world." Sora said quickly.

Esmeralda raised her eyebrows at Sora's mistake. "What do you mean world?"

"Oh, Sora's just a little tired right now. It's been a wild day after all." Kairi answered before Sora could embarrass himself. "But on a more important note, if you're being chased after by Frollo then I don't think you should be here. Even if the baker is helping you there's no guarantee that someone else couldn't recognize you at any point. Isn't there somewhere more secluded that you can be?"

"Yes, the court of miracles where all the other gypsies stay. But I need to be here or else who knows what will happen to Quasi. I can't just abandon him." Esmeralda said. The strength of her conviction echoed through her unshaken and determined voice. It would be difficult to convince her otherwise that she was putting her life in danger by going back and forth from outside the inner walls to the cathedral. "By the way, I heard there was a loud commotion by the gates leading to the older part of town. Was that you three?"

"Not exactly but… it was something, let's put it at that." said Riku. The sound of both Kairi and Sora's growling stomachs signalled their need to eat. As if on cue, the baker was at their assistance providing them with loafs of bread from them to eat back at the inn however Kairi doubted that bread alone would be able to satiate their appetites. Sora on the other hand having experienced the bread before knew better than anyone that it would be enough so he tried to eat as much as he possibly could.

"This is so delicious, I can't… stop eating." he said hyperactively in between bites.

"Hey Sora, stop hogging the bread. A girl's gotta eat when a girl's gotta eat to keep up her strength so make like the chump you are and move." A spirited Kairi said as if in an unspoken contest with Sora to see who could devour the most food.

"Oh, I'm fine, thanks for asking. I guess I can go eat the crumbs then?" Riku said to himself sarcastically. "And I didn't know you were so feisty Kairi. I am legitimately scared now."

"Well ain't nothin' gonna get in the way between this girl and her food. You know what I really could do with right about now though? MEAAAT! Delicious chicken curry, ooh I am so making some once I get back to Radiant Garden. Er, Sora? Why are you drooling over my shoulder?"

After an eventful meal, the three saw Esmeralda off down the street, and then headed to the room they were staying in. Sora immediately went to peer through the window and looked up into the night sky while Riku and Kairi engaged in small talk.

"Do you really think Luna will be able to help the other chimeras? Maybe Abraxas really did give her a test drug which wasn't as effective as the other ones." Kairi suggested.

"I don't even think Abraxas knew why she resisted it so easily." Sora finally spoke after a while with his eyes still trained on the darkness above him. "You know I keep looking into the sky hoping that the next world we visit will be the one she's in and every time I leave disappointed. And then I realize that there are billions of stars in the sky and she could be on any one of them. It's maddening." He yawned and jumped onto his bed.

"Don't think of it like that Sora, we'll definitely see her again. It's not just you. We're all in this together no matter what. We always have been and we always will be." Kairi assured him. In the three months that had passed, she had probably focused on training the most out of the trio having worked on her magic. Yen Sid had made Kairi his personal apprentice succeeding Mickey and had completely skipped the basics moving onto the more advanced magic like Curasa simply because he thought that Kairi had the potential to handle it. Even though Sora felt she had saved his life on more than one occasion, he could tell that she was still not satisfied with where she wanted to be.

"After all who's going to watch your back when you charge in all headstrong like you normally do?" Riku joked.

"Well you would know about that wouldn't you Riku?" Kairi retorted referring to Riku's jump into the darkness. It was enough to make Riku's face as a red as a tomato.

"Haha, she's got you there Riku. I think Kairi's about ready to bite anyone who gets in her way now. I suggest treading lightly." said an uncontrollable laughing Sora.

"I really don't need this." Riku buried his head in his hands as Sora and Kairi continued laughing. The night continued on in a lively spirit with the three glad to be with each other's company until they were ready to go to bed. In a time before this, they would have been separated by worlds, ideals, memories and the darkness, but none of that mattered anymore. It said a lot about their friendship when they could joke about things that would have seemed traumatising before. They were friends and their bond had never been stronger in a world that seemed so crazy.

* * *

><p>Kefka disembarked from the icy ride and rotated his stiff neck before looking back at the girl in the blue dress. "Woo hoo, that was fun now wasn't it?" He cackled madly as he looked around the area. They seemed to be just outside of city next to a huge river which stretched on for miles.<p>

"And you're laughing because…? You ruined my chance to purchase some éclairs while I was here. Well, that and you almost ruined the entire mission and had I not been there to save you, who knows what you would have said to get yourself out of their hands alive." The girl said coldly.

"Oh come on, do you honestly think _I _would give up all of you just for a chance to get away that might not even be offered to me in the first place Elsa?" Kefka asked. When Elsa remained silent, Kefka let out a howl of laughter. "Okay, maybe I would but that's all in the past now right? You saved me, we're still friends and a joyful gaiety of laughter awaits us."

"We are not friends." Elsa warned him with a glare before looking away at the river instead.

"Oh you're so cold Elsa, both figuratively and literally. Can I ask you a question? Why do you exist?"

"What?" Elsa looked back to him in confusion.

"Why are you here? I mean we all have purposes in life. Mine is to see the worlds cry and laugh in pain and watch the countless agonies of worlds burning in flames over and over again until there's nothing left. It's just who I am. But what about you? Let's be honest, you don't seem like you fit in and no one really knows you. You abandoned your own world and along with it any memory or bond you ever had. But if you don't fit anywhere can you say you truly know who you are?"

"I didn't abandon my world, it abandoned me. It wasn't as if I chose this power or anything, I was born with it. Even though my parents tried to support me and help me in keeping my powers in check, I could tell that from afar they were mortified and were afraid to be anywhere near me. I had nowhere to belong and so I left. When Maleficent came to me and told me of the other worlds I thought that I might be able to start anew somewhere else. I have no interest in destroying any worlds like you do—all I care about is finding a place to call home." Elsa muttered bitterly. She had been one of the people opposed to the coup against Maleficent having been eternally grateful to her for revealing to Elsa the existence of an outside world. Without her, Elsa would have been stranded—trapped in that prison of a world.

"But you could have left us at any time, so why didn't you?" Kefka asked.

"Because…" Elsa had to take time to consider this. Eventually she sighed and answered, "Because I knew that wherever I went I would be shunned, cast out because of my powers. Before he died, Kuja once told me that the world is a stage and that we are all merely players, so that we should play that part to the best of our ability. We can't run from it or hold it back. If everyone sees me as a monster then maybe I should play the role, maybe I should be a monster…"

"He he he, you're incredible you know that, and absolutely right. You are a monster, but even monsters can create works of art, and what a piece of art it will be." Kefka laughed before his eyes looked up into the sky. Emerging from the clouds above was a giant ship, slowly descending before it crashed into the river. Kefka cackled as Elsa, who was close to the river, was caught in the swell of water which completely drenched her. The ship soon stopped and the door to the cabin opened revealing Captain Hook.

Her twirled his moustache mischievously and walked over to the side of the ship looking down on Kefka and Elsa. "This silly fog is no match for Captain James Hook, HA! What happened to you?" He asked Elsa looking at her doused and irritated form.

"What do you think? Just take us out of here!" Elsa blasted in annoyance moving her wet hair out of her face before ascending the ladder of the ship.

* * *

><p><strong>Putting Elsa in was an interesting decision, mainly because she's a parallel to Quasimodo in some ways. Oh yes, Cracks of the Past is full of parallels. Anyway, I hope I can update as much as I'd want to but if studies get in the way, at least you know why there's a delay between chapters. But until next time, thanks for reading and keep watching the skies!<strong>


	3. Fear's Debauchery

_For some reason I cannot stop listening to Xenoblade Chronicles' OST, so good *Insert James Franco GIF here*. I don't own that either by the way, just like I don't own Kingdom Hearts or any of the other random references you'll find throughout this fan fic. Speaking of references..._

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 3<strong>

**Fear's Debauchery**

Judge Frollo, a man devoted entirely to his work as a figurehead of justice, was having doubts in his mind that perverted what original beliefs he had ever had. He stood in his small room with books on multiple topics surrounding him. His lips were pursed shot and his cold piercing gaze stared out of the window contemplatively. If it were somehow possible, he looked older and paler than the day before this, and even more so a week ago. Whatever life and youth there had been in Frollo's character had been drained entirely over one single woman, a gypsy by the name of Esmeralda.

How he had spent so many times focusing on his studies in the past, only for his attention to be easily diverted to thoughts of her these days. His dreams were more like nightmares with teases of her and yet in reality they were not so close that he could easily touch her whenever he wanted to. It wasn't just him that noticed his own failing health. The whole city had taken notice and had burst out with a series of rumors regarding Frollo being potentially ill and even dying (a rumor heavily spurned on by his haters), the fact that Frollo turned away anyone who offered their assistance due to his increasing paranoia of those around him, made people even more wary of his ability to maintain law and order as a judge.

But he cared little for making friends. In a world such as this there was only one truth he adhered by: that the good must prevail and the evil be punished, and of course the accursed gypsy witch was of the latter species.

A knock was heard on Frollo's door and he grunted in disgust. No doubt the archbishop had come once again to his doors to convince him to stop what he considered _a great injustice_. Frollo was flipping the thought back and forth in his head of whether to open the door or not when a more playful knock was heard this time, much unlike the archbishop's. It came in a musical rhythm of six with the fifth and last taps each having their own brief pause. Was it another incessant drunkard come to mock him or worse yet throw food at him?

"And before you ask, it's not another incessant drunk come to throw food at you, hee-hee-hee." The muffled voice on the other side of the door said with startling accuracy to what Frollo was thinking. Frollo blinked as if he had just come upon some form of witchcraft and it wasn't until he heard the next set of knocks that disrupted his blank expression.

Frollo swept forward as smoothly as a broom and opened the door to see a strange man with face coated in white make-up and an abnormal costume of dysfunctional colors that resembled a clown. Besides him was a girl with blonde hair and a blue dress who seemed to be in a state of absent-mindedness.

"The name's Kefka though Supreme Overlord would also do, and I hear you have a teensy weeny tiny bit of a problem." Kefka emphasised with his hands although the space between his thumb and the rest of his fingers was a lot more than 'tiny'.

"And just where did you hear that?" Frollo questioned the strange man. He was sure that the man must have heard it from any number of available persons in town who knew of Frollo's dilemma. Even so, Frollo could say with certainty that he had never seen this man before amongst the troupe of jesters that usually frequented the square around festivals.

"A little blue bird told me. Not her, I know she's blue but that's because she's sad all the time." Kefka's vague words were lost on the tired judge who desired nothing more but to close the door on the two and return back to his grieving. "You look pale fine sir. Did you fall asleep in bleach by any chance?"

"I don't need this." Frollo mumbled under his breath before attempting to close the door but Kefka's next words caused him to leave it hanging.

"Don't you wanna know where the Heartless came from?" Kefka looked on with the glimmering eyes of a madman, no, of a man who had baited his prey in successfully with but a few words and had caught him.

"Heartless? Do you perhaps mean… those demons?"

"That's what I just said. Sheesh! Don't people listen anymore?" Kefka exclaimed as if offended. Frollo dismissed this with his anticipation rising by the second. Gone was the thought of casting these people from his door.

"Would you care to come in?" Frollo's voice became silky and inviting causing the woman next to Kefka to stiffen a little. The door opened wide to welcome the strange guests inside.

The room was dark and barely lit with the only source of light being from a few candles placed randomly about the room. The smell of leather, a product from the various books, scrolls and parchments in the room, was predominant causing Elsa to scrunch her nose. She didn't mind the books themselves. On the contrary, they had been the only thing keeping her from dying of boredom back in Arendelle however this putrid smell of book probably more than a century old was a bit too much for her to handle.

"Not expecting any guests are we?" Kefka asked as he buried through the mountains of books, throwing them aside as soon as he inspected them. Some of them landed beside Elsa's feet allowing her to examine them in closer detail. Several of the documents detailed various methods of something called the alchemical process, not that Elsa understood what that meant.

"Not one that I would care for. So, explain to me these creatures—you called them Heartless." Frollo reminded Kefka sensing that he had forgotten the reason he had been allowed in. Frollo took his seat on a wooden chair and waited patiently for information.

"Ooh, let's see, where do I start? Actually, how about you explain it to him your highness?" Kefka said to Elsa who dropped the document she was holding when Kefka looked at her. "You've barely spoken since we came here, how rude of you."

Elsa nodded before explaining. "The Heartless are more or less the darkness inside a person's heart. They'll usually follow the will of whoever's strongest. And this isn't the only world they go after. There are more worlds than one." She stopped as soon as Frollo's face lit up in confusion.

"Yes you heard that right. This world is only one of many and the Heartless aren't some manifestation of gypsy magic or whatever hoopla you usually spout." Kefka said.

"Sorry, what is this alchemical process?" Elsa inquired, unable to resist the urge of intrigue that came with seeing the word.

"That does not concern the likes of you." Although surprised that the young girl had taken interest in his studies, Frollo was swift in swiping the documents away from Elsa. He continued, "Then these other worlds… they must be where those three came from. They were wielding keys and have been much a nuisance since they stepped foot here. I was wondering from which hole the rats had scuttled out of."

"Interesting you should mention keys. As it so happens, those keys are used to defeat the Heartless and they can open any lock they like-"

"WHAT?!" Frollo darted out of his chair so quickly that the object fell over behind him. Had he heard correctly?

"Well they are keys, what did you expect? They aren't exactly monkeys." Kefka said snickering.

The joke aside, Frollo's smile had taken on a sardonic grin. For years, he had been trying to uncover the secrets of the world, of a science which very few but him believed in. If these keys really did what this stranger in front of him claimed to do, then such a possible pathway could be formed from which he could find the place where alchemy had started, the fabled lost city that every alchemist sought.

"And how do I obtain these keys?" Frollo asked after a long awkward pause.

"First, you need the power to defeat those who wield it. And what's the catch you ask? Well you didn't but there is none! All you need to do is give into the hatred in your heart." Kefka said.

"My hatred?" Before Frollo could ask more Kefka moved in and tapped his chest. A rush of power greater than anything Frollo could have imagined overwhelmed him and took him off guard causing him to trip over. This rush of power soon ended, and surprise turned to a grin and a grin turned into laughter. This was the power he had craved, a power which, unlike the law, had no boundaries or rules. With this, he would finally make Esmeralda his.

* * *

><p><em>Two Days Later<em>

"Sora? Sora, wake up!" A familiar red head's voice shook Sora out of his sleep and his eyes opened in panic. His pupils darted in multiple directions as he tried to ascertain his location. No, he wasn't back _there _like he thought he had been, instead he was starting at a rather old ceiling and he could feel Kairi's presence to his right. "That dream again?" she asked with a motherly concern.

"Yeah." He confirmed softly before sitting up and letting out a frustrated sigh. It had been on more than one occasion where he had experienced the exact the same dream. The tense and chilly feeling of the air, the sound of a perfect cut from back to front, the fear in her eyes and the small gasp that had escaped her mouth… the moving images came to haunt Sora every once in a while as if they were on a mission to torture him as much as possible. Each time he dreamed of Yeul's death, every moment and every sense felt real and he was compelled to act on this thinking that he could save her this time, only to find that what felt real was only an illusion and the reality was much worse.

"Yeul wouldn't blame you for what happened back then you know? You told me that you saw her when you fought Abraxas-"

Sora dismissed her with a sceptical look. "I told you I don't know whether that was real or not. Maybe… maybe it was all in my head and I just imagined her there because it gave me comfort. I was alone back then so my heart probably made a connection with another person I knew who had been lonely too. As much as I want to believe that I saw Yeul, I know that she couldn't really have come back."

"That's just you blaming yourself." Kairi reasoned but Sora's eyes flicked away to looking at his hands. "Look at me Sora. You can't keep holding everything inside like that. It's okay to scream every once in a while, get angry if you have to but what you're doing isn't healthy."

"Can we not talk about this Kairi? The sooner I forget about this the better. Plus I don't want to be a bother to you and Riku." Sora said playing his best smile possible. He truly wanted to smile and spend time with his two best friends and he knew moping about things would only make their time together feel exhausting and somber.

"It wouldn't be a bother, but you're right, we don't have time to talk about this now. Riku's already downstairs and waiting for us, no surprise there. Let's head down before he decides to leave us here." Kairi said letting out a snicker. Sora snorted before hopping out of bed to change.

A few minutes later, Sora and Kairi had reached the first floor landing to find Riku sitting by the table they had been at last night looking as if he were struggling to endure something of abhorred nature.

"Man, I guess Riku must really be disgusted that we're so late." Sora said making his and Kairi's arrival blatant to Riku.

"No, it's this oatmeal. It's disgusting, like snot." Riku groaned and made a blech sound in exaggeration. He pushed the bowl of what looked like a gooey abomination on mankind away from his as far as possible.

"So you've tasted snot before Riku? My, don't you have a refined palette." Kairi commented with a sly smile.

"The best around naturally. And I know enough to know that my palette disagrees with this awful stuff." Riku said almost a little too loudly attracting the attention of a few people nearby.

"I don't think the inn keeper will take too kindly to your words. Don't worry, I'll cover for you. OH YES, THIS OATMEAL IS C'EST MAGNIFIQUE." Sora yelled out loud stupidly only to receive the expected reactions of disbelief among the customers there and face palms from both Riku and Kairi. "I think it worked." He whispered and gave a wink.

With embarrassment plain on their faces, Riku and Kairi were quick to get them and Sora out of the inn and to their destination. The clatter produced by dense crowds only grew louder as they made their way to the Cathedral. Much like the first time Sora had come here the place was no stranger to multiple facets of life ranging from the wealthiest nobleman to the slurring drunk. The only difference now was that any specs of the festival of fools and its joys were now gone from the square allowing more space for people to walk. Of course the most formidable aspect of this scenery lay in the centre stage where people were burned at the stake for their atrocious crime, most of which Sora doubted were truly down to said criminal. It stood as a symbol of oppression showcasing the long reaching grasp of the law, and to an even bigger extent, the corruption within it and its ability to scaremonger.

But wanting to ignore anything related to death, Sora flirted with the cathedral itself. The antithesis of the stake with its grand and majestic walls offering solitude and sanctuary to those in need of it. It was the only place that couldn't be reached by the corruption of power. It had saved Esmeralda many times from the long reach of Judge Frollo and had even given Quasimodo some solace with its melodic bells. Unfortunately, as of recently the cathedral's interior had come under a number of attacks from the Heartless and any type of sanctuary was now being threatened.

Sora was the first into the bell tower and the first to see Quasimodo on the floor. He called out the hunchback's name in shock and rushed over to his side, helping him up from the floor. "Quasi, are you okay?" he asked as Riku ran forward to support him, helping Quasimodo up to stand.

"I- I- my sight, it faded for a few seconds and I felt a little dizzy then the next thing I knew I was here on the ground." Quasimodo's voice trembled as even he tried to make sense of what had happened.

"You don't think that the Heartless inside him has something to do with it, do you?" Kairi asked before holding up her right index finger. "Okay Quasi, I need you to follow the direction of my finger only using your left eye. Think you can do that?" Quasimodo nodded and covered his right eye allowing Kairi to proceed for the next minute witch a check-up that reminded Sora of his own eye tests back on the islands. She moved her finger left, right, up and down watching Quasimodo's pupil carefully as they moved in conjunction. She next did this with the other eye, Sora and Riku watching expectantly as Kairi took her time.

"So what's the analysis doc?" Sora asked once Kairi had finished and had pulled away.

"It's not looking good. His left eye seems to be fine but with his right eye I noticed a good delay between when my finger moved and the time it took for him to react. I mean his eye might have been like that beforehand, I don't have anything previous to tell me what it was like before but I don't think we should rule it out just yet." Kairi said but Quasimodo shook his head.

"That explains it then…"

"Sorry?" Riku asked for the group.

"I've been having migraines lately, usually by the right side of my head. I thought I could ignore them at first but they only became more frequent. So that's what they were." Quasimodo explained. He looked down at his trembling plump hands as if mesmerized by some fascinating horror in front of him.

"Did you tell Esmeralda about the headaches?" Riku enquired.

Quasimodo shook his head in shame. "I thought that it was nothing so I didn't bother telling her. I know I was wrong but I was afraid and…" he stopped and buried his head into his hands. Were it anyone else in the room, they would have found it impossible to believe that a creature like this would be wallowing in despair, but Sora and his friends knew better. They knew he was no creature but a human like anybody else and that he was in need of help.

"We're running out of time," Kairi stated giving Sora and Riku a solemn look. "Quasimodo's will is probably conflicting with the Heartless' for dominance. I don't know how long you can hold this up Quasi, oh I'm so sorry." Kairi moved in and hugged Quasi as tightly as she could for comfort though Sora and Riku remained on the spot. They both knew that pity wouldn't make things better for the poor bell ringer. It was only time before he fully lost his mind and became the beast that everyone who didn't know him viewed him to be.

Another person entered the designated room of hopelessness. Esmeralda threw the hood of the cloak off her head and seeing the scene in front of her, immediately regretted coming in with a smile. "Is something wrong?" she asked. Kairi let go off Quasimodo and explained as best she could about his condition. During this, Esmeralda's eyes never left Quasimodo. Maturely she nodded and appeared thoughtful as she heard about Quasimodo's migraines and Kairi's test. "And there's no way to help him without your friend?" she asked calmly once Kairi had finished.

"We don't know, but we know that you're definitely helping him Esmeralda. As long as Quasi doesn't let slip of any of the precious memories that the two of you have made then it should give us some time." Sora answered wanting to restore some form of hope in the room.

"If that is all we can do for now then it is what it is. We just need to make the best of our situation. We can do this Quasi." Esmeralda encouraged, to which Quasimodo returned with a weak smile.

"It's too late for me. I'm only stalling the inevitable as you said right? How long did it take the others? It truly feels like I'm cheating death." said Quasimodo wryly.

_So you're just going to give up after all Esmeralda has done to help you? _Sora wanted to say but he didn't have it in him to call his friend selfish for giving up so easily. He wondered if this was how Luna felt upon discovering that she was a Chimera too. How many times had she almost given up?

Before anyone could say anything, another person entered the room. Sora recognized this man as being by Judge Frollo's side most of the time and immediately summoned his Keyblade.

"Woah there kid, watch where you're pointing that thing or you'll poke an eye out with your giant metal key thing. Weird weapon if you ask me. Anyway I'm not here with Judge Frollo, I promise." Phoebus held his hands up in submission and slowly placed them behind his head.

"…How much did you hear?" Sora eventually asked keeping his Keyblade pointed at the captain.

Phoebus looked at Quasimodo and spoke with a lopsided smile plastered on his face. "Quite enough, none of which I can say I understood though but from the tone, I can guess that you're a pretty unlucky man my friend."

"I am NOT your friend." Quasimodo advanced formidably and grabbed Phoebus by the collar raising him up into the air even when against the calls of disapproval from the others. "Why did you come here?"

"Well I can't tell you anything if I'm up in the air like this." Phoebus grunted feeling the collar dig into the back of his neck. A hand comparative to that of a gentle wave reached out and touched Quasimodo's arm shaking him out of his anger. He looked into Esmeralda's eyes for a few seconds before letting go. Phoebus dropped to the ground and rubbed his buttocks in annoyance before standing back up. "Why thank you, I'm supposing you're the brawn of the operation and she's the brains."

"Get on with it before I set Djali on you. You'll come to find that she knows quite a lot of tricks." Esmeralda said although she couldn't hide her blush at the compliment.

"I've seen a lot to know what little Djali can do." Phoebus said before his smile was wiped away by a hardened expression on his face. "Anyway, I've come to tell you that Frollo has ordered a search of the cathedral for you. You need to go now."

"Excuse me captain but aren't you with Frollo? Why are you telling us this?" Sora asked.

"Because I am a captain no longer. I was dismissed by Frollo because of insubordination regarding the capture of a certain gypsy." Phoebus replied. "Frollo has no regard for the sanctity of the church and is determined to get his way. The cathedral isn't the only thing he's going after either. He's ordered a search of every home and shop in the city and those strange creatures are popping up a lot more frequently lately. He even set some of those creatures on me when I refused to burn down a house with a family still inside and I just barely managed to get away by jumping into the river. The man has gone insane."  
>"Leaving the city is going to be a hard enough feat to accomplish if what you say is true." Riku said contemplatively.<p>

"It's okay. If we gypsies are good at anything, it's knowing our way throughout the city. I'll find a way to slip by them." Esmeralda pulled her cloak over her head before asking, "Captain, do you think you could escort me out of the vicinity without arousing suspicion?"

Phoebus thought about this for a second with his eyes squeezed tight together. "I… think so. Most of the guards positioned around the cathedral still think that I'm a captain so I might be able to use that to my advantage. Plus the archdeacon isn't too pleased about this development and is causing a ruckus so that might help us out as well."

Esmeralda nodded and looked back at Quasimodo with a sad smile. "We're almost there Quasi. Just stand a little longer." With that she exited the room with Phoebus giving a nod to the group before following her.

"Do you really think we can trust him?" Riku asked.

"He seemed like a fairly good guy at heart. A little cocky and arrogant but I think she'll be alright around him." Kairi answered before turning to Quasimodo. "Do you know where Esmeralda actually lives?"

"The court of miracles, but I don't really know where it is. All she gave me was this." Quasimodo said. He pulled the talisman that was around his neck off and handed it to Kairi who examined it thoroughly. "I think she said at the time 'when you wear this woven band, you hold the city in your hand'. I'm still not sure what that means."

"Oho, this is some Indiana Jones stuff right here. I just hope there aren't any bad dates around here." Sora commented amusedly.

Kairi hummed both in thought and agreement as she twisted the memento in her hand. Like another certain object which Sora held dear to him for reasons unknown, this object held a mysterious secret behind it. It was an ill kind of addiction but it taunted him none the less, captivating him and drawing him to uncover its mysteries. He was of course referring to the puzzle box that was currently lying inside the Gummi Ship. It said a lot when not even Yen Sid could decipher its contents but he had mentioned something: that the design was of some thousand years old. If that was the case then they may as well have given up because tracing this box back that many years would only result in many dead ends. However, Joshua's keenness in ensuring that the puzzle box remained in Sora's hands was enough to keep him going. If there was a way to trace it back that many years then he would find it.

Sora smiled as he heard Kairi repeating what Esmeralda had told Quasimodo under her breath. She was already engaged in her own world thinking deeply about what everything could mean. If he were to be honest, he thought it quite cute though he wasn't willing to divulge that thought.

"Kairi, some fresh air might help you figure something out." Sora suggested. She nodded before leaving the bell tower.

"Do you think she'll be able to figure something out?" Quasimodo asked. "Maybe I should go out and help her."

"You should do that. I think you could use the fresh air as well, think things through because we're definitely not gonna let you give up just like that." Sora told him. "And don't worry about Kairi; she's smarter than I am. Don't tell her I said that though. I'd never hear the end of it."

"And she's special to you?" Quasimodo asked.

"Well I guess she's like what Esmeralda is to you. She wasn't originally from the place that Riku and I lived in but she arrived there when I was six and Riku was seven. I didn't know it right then but this journey that I'm on started that very day she arrived. Before that my world was so small and it was difficult to wrap my head around how truly big and insane everything was and that my small world was just one tiny snapshot that made an entire collage of art. Funny thing is that the grown-ups couldn't even grasp the idea that Kairi could have been from another world but Riku and I were so sure of it. She's helped me see things I would have otherwise been ignorant to so many times it's impossible to count. It's admirable really. Anyway, you better join her before she starts to get all lonely." Sora answered with a laugh.

"Having someone you care for can help open your mind then to new things. I see." Quasimodo said before leaving Riku and Sora alone inside the bell tower.

"Sometimes you have to be prepared to lose sight of the shore for a long time if you want to discover new land." Riku said all of sudden as Sora stared up at the bells above him, shining brightly as if they were brand new instruments, each one waiting with anticipation to be played.

"Sorry?" Sora asked.

"We were so used to what the islands had to offer us that taking the first step outside them was a difficult one, but in the end it was worth it because we learned so much more and made so many friends. Quasimodo is like what we once were, afraid to take that step forward. He's daunted by the possibility that he could never return to his safe haven, and it doesn't help that he's a Chimera." Riku explained.

"It is a big step." Sora agreed.

"But sometimes we just have to take risks, even if things don't always go the way we've planned it in our heads." Riku continued.

"And Esmeralda ultimately has to be the one who helps him take that step, as Kairi helped us." Sora finished for him.

Riku tipped his head downward and shook his head. "Yes, but that doesn't mean we can't lend a hand when we've been in a similar situation ourselves. And again, being a chimera makes it our responsibility to intervene now."

"You mean mine." Sora said with a sigh of resignation.

"What?"

"Abraxas was targeting me when he did all this. He was so set on destroying me from the inside out and considered anyone pawns in his game to get to me." Sora told him. "The worst part is that it could happen again. First it was Abraxas and now it's these people who used to work with him who are after me… am I that much of a threat Riku?"

"People fear what they don't understand. That fear leads to desperation which is probably what Abraxas felt when he thought of you. That's not to say that having people fear you is always a bad thing, I guess it must mean that you're just someone really worth going for if they have to panic like that. Way to leave me and Kairi in the dust, you've finally made it to the big leagues." Riku joked.

"If fear can lead to respect then I better be making more dimes than Scrooge McDuck by the end of this or it isn't worth it." Sora said with a sad smile although he knew that a respect bred out of fear was no respect at all. Not for the first time, he found himself repeatedly asking why it was always him, not that anyone else would have been any better on his conscience but just as he had thought his worries were over with Xehanort, he had been thrust into another gruelling conflict, one which this time seemed to have no end.

"So Sora, now that we're alone. Kairi or Luna? Which one's more your type?" Riku asked a question that Sora had not been expecting. The brunette spluttered about incredulously and before he could retort the door opened once again and Kairi burst through the room with a panicked expression on her face. "Guys, we need to leave now!"

"Kairi, what's happening?" Sora asked bewilderedly.

"It's Judge Frollo, he's taken control of the Heartless and… he's ordered a warrant on our arrest!"

* * *

><p><strong>Yeah, I was watching the trilogy recently (because it is a trilogy in my heart) and I just couldn't help but do it. That and it is owned by Disney now so it works. More importantly, I wonder what this lost city Frollo is searching for is... And yes, I decided to make him interested in alchemy because I certainly missed that aspect of him from the book. More chapters coming soon!<strong>


	4. By Acts of Absolute Power

_Oh September, you have been a glorious month to me. First Doctor Who coming back, then TGS and now the trailer for Legend of Korra Book Four? And I'm sure next month will be even better. Feel like watching Frozen again for some reason. Anyway, ignore my energetic self right now and here comes your next chapter. _

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 4<strong>

**By Acts of Absolute Power**

Kairi's warning had given them very little time to act. Heartless rose up from the ground and attacked giving the surprised Riku and Sora no time to defend. It was Kairi who had been anticipating the attack, and quickly erected a powerful barrier after quick summoning her Keyblade. Various sparks of light flashed as the Heartless smacked against the barrier and were repelled. Kairi dispelled the shield with the resulting shockwave taking out the creatures.

"We need to move quickly, Quasi's waiting for us." Kairi said before leading them out of the bell tower.

"Do you have any idea where we should go? I mean the Gummi Ship can't really be found but we'd be leaving Quasi and Esmeralda in danger." Sora reminded them. The way he saw it, now that they were wanted for whatever reason, it would be impossible to back out of the situation now.

"The court of miracles. Have you figured anything out yet Kairi?" Riku asked. Just as Sora expected, his friend was always thinking one step ahead of the curb. After Xehanort's defeat he had become much more confident in his own abilities while still being able to be humble about. Surprising and not really known to many others, at least not on the islands, was that while Riku appeared to possess a cool and serious demeanour (and had certainly gained a reputation for it amongst his female fan base at school), he was often quite cheeky and mischievous when around Sora and Kairi. Sora figured that it must have been harder for Riku to act normally in front of others compared to the two people who had been with him through so much in their last journey.

"Yes actually. Well I thought of it from a different perspective but Quasimodo was the one who expanded on the idea. Anyway, this-" Kairi pulled out the talisman from her pocket and showed it to them proudly, "is a map. The cathedral is right here in the centre of the talisman, the centre of the city. And if you follow this pattern it goes past the inner ring or walls of the city and to somewhere north east."

"Somewhere near the old town. And here I thought X never, ever marks the spot. Well it's worth a shot, better than staying here." Sora said. With a unification of approval expressed by everyone, the trio quickly caught up with Quasimodo and together the four descended downwards into the interior of the cathedral. Being here only brought bad memories to Sora. This was the place where his and Luna's friendship had almost broken down. His forcefulness in telling her that he didn't want her to travel with him had done more harm than good and had set about a chain of events that had worked in Abraxas' favour and had almost destroyed Sora's spirit.

Sora could even recall which bench he had sat down at and what he had been doing before then. Thinking about this made his heart pound and thud more wildly with fear that he would never see her again, that she was truly lost to him.

Sora was stolen from his thoughts by a hand that had latched around his arm and had dragged him backwards. "What was that for?" he asked looking at the hand's owner.

"You're not paying attention are you? The guards over there." Riku replied nodding his head in the direction of a guard posted by the cathedral doors. Sora attempted to look their way but a quick warning by Riku told him not to stare at them directly.

"So what do we do now?" Kairi asked.

"It's a single guard. We can probably slip out if we had a distraction. Still, you'd think there would be more guards in the cathedral if they wanted to find someone." said Riku in an undertone. He had his chin resting on his hand and his eyebrows were furrowed making it quite easy to tell that he was deep in thought.

"Well it's not like they know we're here right? The Heartless found us but Kairi managed to get rid of them so unless Frollo know then we're safe for now." Sora said.

"I think the archdeacon can help. I'll see what I can do." Quasimodo told them and walked over to the archdeacon while Sora, Riku and Kairi concealed themselves by the stairwell where they watched the two exchange a few words. A few seconds later, Quasimodo rejoined them and guided them to the door, making sure to stay glued to the walls in the process and observing as the archdeacon made his way to the guard. The calmness of the subdued archdeacon made his words hard to decipher from where Sora was but whatever he said to the guard must have worked because the two men had soon parted from the door and had moved down the nave of the cathedral. Riku moved in and opened the door wide enough for the group to slip through before carefully closing it behind him.

The sound of a sword hitting against flesh brought the group's attention to Phoebus who was swatting away at a bunch of Hook Bat Heartless around the centre of the square. One of the Hook Bats evaded an attack from Phoebus by flying out of his sword's range before flapping its wings releasing ultrasonic waves that paralyzed Phoebus allowing the other Hook Bats to move in and attack. Phoebus was sent flying to the floor letting out a long groan soon afterwards.

Riku was the first to rush in and cut through three of the bats with Sora following up with blizzard magic. The shards of ice connected with the remaining Heartless taking them out and allowing Sora to proceed to Phoebus freely where he helped the ex-captain up.

"Those things really are too fast for their own good. I couldn't even get a single hit." Phoebus said drawing back in a tense yet subdued agony. To Sora's surprise, the man was still able to let out a laugh even after all of that, probably either due to his stubborn pride or because he had just come face to face with a life-threatening situation, probably both.

"I take it Esmeralda got out safely then?" Kairi asked.

"Out of the cathedral? Yes. Out of the city? I have no idea. She thought it best we parted ways here. Makes sense since as we were on our way out, one of the guards told me that they were also looking for three kids in weird looking clothes. Esmeralda was worried about you guys and had me warn you but I guess I didn't need to do that in the end." Phoebus explained before rubbing the back of his head. "It's kind of embarrassing to be honest. As a man sworn to protect this city, it's my duty to protect kids like you from danger and yet I find that the situation has been completely reversed. Thrusting my life into the hands of three kids, huh? It's just not right. I would tell you to stay in school but you clearly know a lot more about these creatures than anyone else here, that and you're more equipped to handle them apparently. You really aren't from around here are you?"

"We don't really have time for this. If Esmeralda is alone then she may be in danger. She's probably headed for the court of miracles so we need to head there immediately." Quasimodo said. It was impossible not to notice a change in attitude from his usual reserved and depressed self to a more confident and determined figure. His question to Sora about Kairi being a beacon of light for the brunette hadn't been lost on Quasimodo it had seemed. Now he too was fighting to protect something important to him.

"You alright Riku?" Sora asked noticing that his friend had appeared rather distant as of late.

"No but I need to confirm something first. It's just… something strange…" Riku fell back into his ponderings causing Sora to give up. With little more to say and with time quickly slipping away, the party departed from the square and headed towards the gates of the inner wall.

* * *

><p>A combination of Quasimodo and Phoebus' knowledge and the map provided by Esmeralda had led to group to the graveyard, just outside the inner walls. Sora had to admit that transitioning from the clean, densely packed renaissance-style city to a dark, gloomy and morbid graveyard was somewhat hilarious, if not a little creepy.<p>

"Trust the court of miracles to be hiding in a place like this, it's pretty clever. Who would ever think about staying in here long enough to find out? It's like our secret place on the islands when I think about it." Riku said. True, as Riku had said, the secret place had become renowned for its rumors involving monsters and ghosts among those who knew about it thus making sure that everyone had stayed far away from it as possible.

"Selphie would love a place like this huh?" Sora light-heartedly quipped only to receive a punch on the shoulder from Kairi. "Ow. So, do we start defiling coffins or something to look for a secret passageway? Well, it's nothing personal, the dead won't mind anyway right?"  
>"Urgh, you are just unbelievable!" Kairi screamed in frustration only for Sora to laugh.<p>

"Oh come on, it's just a joke Kairi." He patted her on the shoulder before walking past and looking around. "It could take us a while to find this entrance so we might as well get down to it."

"Actually, I think I've already found it!" Quasimodo declared pointing at one graves in the centre of the area. He pulled out the talisman and held it up matching it up with the symbol on the gravestone. "The symbols match." He soon confirmed to the others.

"Great. Now how do we get it open? A secret password or…" Phoebus' words were interrupted as Quasimodo places his hands on the side of the grave's lid and pushed. The lid gave in easily and fell to the ground revealing a staircase that descended deep underground, "or that." Phoebus finished with repeated blinks of surprise.

Sora followed after the rest down the stairs keeping his eyes on Riku. It was strange. The silver haired teen had been unusually quiet since they had left the square and it was starting to agitate Sora. He knew that Riku was usually the type who didn't express his thoughts but if something was troubling him, then surely it only made sense to tell him and Kairi about it before it was too late.

As soon as he stepped onto flat ground, Sora's analysis was cut short upon finding that he was ankle deep in what felt like water but it was too dark to make anything out for sure. Kairi intuitively solved this problem by lighting up her Keyblade but immediately screamed when the first thing she saw in the now luminous room was a skeleton.

"Haha, we must be in the old catacombs then I guess." Phoebus said. "And that weapon of yours can also light paths? Where can I buy one?"

"N- not for sssssale." Kairi stuttered standing frozen and aghast, not able to take her eyes away from the skeleton.

"Oh Kairi, don't tell me you're afraid of a little skeleton. He's dead Kairi, probably has been for years, he's not gonna hurt you." Sora said. He walked past her and grabbed the skeleton's hand, shaking it satirically. "See? Oh hello Mr. Skeleton, how's the weather down here? You know I know a skeleton just like you, maybe I'll take you to Halloween Town to see hi- AAAAH!" Suddenly Sora let out a scream as the skeleton's hand grasped around his hand and dragged the helpless teen towards its skeletal figure… or at least that's what Kairi thought. It had been enough to cause Kairi to scream again, and Sora laughed releasing the skeleton from his grasp. "Oh Kairi, you should see the look on your face right now. It's amazing!"

Kairi blushed furiously and stamped her food down, creating a splash in the water below them. "Sora, you are a complete and utter ass!" she yelled pointing her finger accusingly at Sora, in the end though Sora could see that Kairi was struggling to maintain her fake displeasure.

"Yes kids, please keep yelling, I think someone didn't quite hear you two by now." Phoebus said sarcastically before looking at Riku. "Be like this guy. He seems to understand the situation we're in."

"It's Riku, and 'understand the situation we're in'? Are you really sure we understand anything right now or do we only think we do?" Riku replied.

"Okay Riku, you've been holding something from us since we left the cathedral. Just tell us what's on your mind." Sora said.

"You didn't see them?" Riku asked vaguely.

"See what?"

"Exactly. On our way here we stumbled across barely any guards. Don't you think that's strange considering we have an arrest warrant on our heads? Even at the gate or while we were passing that crystal pillar on our way to it, there were no guards. There should have been more at the cathedral as well. Remember what Phoebus had said? On their way out, he and Esmeralda were told by one of the guards that they were looking for the three of us. The key phrase there is 'one of the guards' meaning that there was more than one and yet when we left there was only one guard." Riku explained before asking Phoebus, "Can you recall how many guards there were in the cathedral?"

"Exactly? No, I didn't bother to search every nook and cranny for one but there was definitely more than one. At least four if I recall correctly." Phoebus answered.

"Then what happened to the other guards? Do you think Frollo's found the court of miracles?" Sora asked.

"If that's the case then we need to hurry. Let's just hope we're not too late." Quasimodo said. The damp and flooded passageway, which Phoebus guessed to be the catacombs, twisted and turned often managing to confuse the group. Their only source of aid was through Kairi's illuminated Keyblade and the walls that connected the vast tunnel network. Something that could not be missed was that the catacombs played host to more than just one skeleton, with many scattered throughout the passageways. Sora couldn't see anything below his knees but had certainly felt as if he had heard the sound of crunching more than a few times, enough to send shivers down his entire body. What he was thankful for though, was that the level of water, or sewage as Sora had come to learn, that they were walking through gradually seemed to decrease until there was none left.

Just when it looked as if the catacombs would never end, a light could be seen up ahead. Sora and Kairi exchanged looks and grinned before running on ahead of the others. As Phoebus watched them, his eyes caught sight of human-shaped shadows given away by the braziers that lit up the passageway.

"You two, don't go any farther!" Phoebus' warning was too late. The human figures moved in when Sora and Kairi were just within reached and grabbed them, clutching the two to their own bodies tightly. Kairi watched as the Keyblade slipped from her hands and dropped to the ground with a heavy thud before disappearing.

"Now what's this trickery? Frollo must have really gone out of his way this time." said the man who was holding Kairi captive.

"Let go of them or you'll have to deal with us." Riku ordered them loudly. He summoned his Keyblade and raised it above his head, ready to attack quickly if necessary.

"Oh no, we're outnumbered. Whatever will we do?" Sora's captive remarked in the most annoyingly sarcastic voice that he could muster.

"Uh oh." Riku said. He lowered his Keyblade and made it vanish before raising his hands. The amount of guards or traps in the area had been rather lax so it was no surprise that they were being ambushed right now. Multiple eyes and weapons were trained on their bodies from various hiding places and they soon found their hands tied up and their mouths gagged with a soft cloth.

"Sorry, what's that?" One of the members of this group asked as Kairi yelled inaudibly into the cloth gagging her mouth. His gaiety was unrivalled by even the most eccentric comedian. He seemed to be the ringleader of the group, dressed in bright and colorful attire and yet even through this cheerful guise he seemed to display the most sadistic and sinister of intentions. "You wish to be executed quickly? Well, why didn't you speak louder?"

The mask-wearing crowd howled with animalistic laughter for Clopin Trouillefou knew exactly how to get them riled up. But the fun was only just beginning, and the real festivities would begin in the court of miracles.

"You think their Frollo's spies?" asked Sora's captive. Sora tried to move out of his grasp but found it impossible under the man's strong grip and in terms of size, the man also had him beat. Even if he were to somehow find a way free, summoning his Keyblade would only put the others in even more danger.

Clopin snickered before starting off in a sing-song voice:

"_Oh you came so far_

_Seeking myth among myths_

_And now you've seen bizarre_

_You'll not be leaving with gifts_

_The holiest place thou hast ever been_

_Said absolutely no one whatsoever_

_Filled with scoundrels and vandals and devils within_

_Yet you've found our hiding place, how clever… not."_

Throughout the song, the crowd clapped and cheered at Clopin and jeered at Sora and the others. The gypsies began to move towards the light now while Clopin continued his song:

"_Oh yes, we have a method for intruders like you_

_Close your eyes, we'll surprise, all you need do is count five_

_For here in the court of miracles there are very few_

_Who ever leave alive!" _

Sora rolled his eyes as the group cheered at Clopin's song. "It wasn't even that good!" was what he wanted to yell at them and would have done so were he not gagged. He simply wasn't in any comfortable position to speak without managing to upset or anger them any further. Of course that wouldn't matter anyway if the lyrics in the song were anything to go by.

The gypsies, surrounding the defenceless group like a hive, led them up the stairs and out of the oppressive atmosphere of the catacombs into a welcoming light which would have been much more so were they not in a dangerous position at the moment. The Court of Miracles was lively and full of many other gypsies and beggars who had gone into hiding because of their beliefs or the circumstances they were in.

Like the players in Traverse Town, Sora could see that fear was what had coveted the minds of certain people which had ultimately led to this segregation. Even if this was the case however, it didn't seem to stop the gypsies from going about their daily lives. They had found a way to adapt and were making the best of it.

He quickly attempted to scan the crowd for any sign of Esmeralda but it was too compacted for him to find her. Their eyes diverted from their daily processes and were all on the group as they were escorted up a stage where three nooses were already lying in wait. Sora made an audible gulp that's end product became slightly muffled.

"Good 'noose' everyone, it looks like Frollo's little spies couldn't help but poke their noses into our business. I don't know about you but I'd certainly enjoy it if they 'hung' around for a while." Clopin announced a little too ecstatically. The crowd cheered and yelled out in truculent contempt at the so-called spies saying things such as "String 'em up" and "Make it slow and painful". Clopin nodded as if taking these suggestions into consideration but it was clear that his mind was already made up. "So who should we start off with then? Ooh, I think the ugly one, the pretty one and the feminine yet muscular looking lad over there." Clopin said and pointed to Quasimodo, Phoebus and Riku.

"Mmph!" Riku let out a grunt of incomprehensible grievance upon hearing him be labelled as feminine looking. The long silver hair that he had kept after defeating Xehanort certainly didn't help his case.

Once again, Sora let out an annoyed sigh and scouted the court of miracles once more for Esmeralda. If they thought that Riku would allow them to take him that easily then they had another thing coming. As calm as always, Riku stepped onto the stage and grimaced as one of the gypsies took the cloth from his mouth.

"Any last words?" Clopin asked. "Because depending on what you say, you may die faster, or slower."

Ignoring the laughs of the excited and hungry mob, Riku wasted no time in explaining their situation. "We're not with Frollo. We've come to warn you actually, we think that he's coming here so you need to get out of here as fast as you can."

This seemed to have thrown a few people's expectations of guard and murmurs started to spread like wildfire amongst the residents of the court. Clopin however was not so convinced. "This coming from a spy of Frollo is not so convincing. Do you really expect us to believe that?"

"They're telling the truth!"

In truth, it had felt as if an angel had appeared to save them from an almost certain death. Sora supposed that in a way, that title he had bestowed to Esmeralda was almost true. The entire court of miracles suddenly became quiet and parted like a wave gradually vacating land and heading back into sea. It was clear that Esmeralda had the entire respect of the gypsies and Sora could even imagine them putting her on a pedestal.

"Esmeralda, do you know these- these-" Clopin struggled to find the right words for the sake of making sure that he did not offend Esmeralda.

"They are my friends. Let them go." Esmeralda confirmed placing her hand on her hip.

Clopin pursed his lips together tightly and cast his eyes downward as if weighing up something in his mind. Eventually he ordered for the group to be released. Both Sora and Kairi let out sighs of relief once their mouths had been freed and the thick rope binding their hands had been untied and rushed over to join Riku, Phoebus and Quasimodo on the stage.

"Well that was a little rough, but at least we're alright." Kairi said stretching out her arms towards the cloudy sky. She had no problem in expressing openly that she was very glad to be away from the person who had taken her captive.

It was Phoebus who Esmeralda first ran up to and had given a hug much to the sadness of Quasimodo. "You took a terrible risk coming here, even if it doesn't look like it shows amongst most of us but I'm just so glad you came!" she professed to the ex-Captain with a hint of need in her voice.

"Well, let's just say you should be thanking Quasimodo and Kairi. Without those two, we wouldn't have figured out a thing." Phoebus commended much to the illuminated faces of Kairi and Quasimodo.

"Sorry to interrupt but Esmeralda, you and the others have to get out of here now. Frollo may already know where this place is located and he's taken control of the Heartless. He definitely won't squander this chance." Sora told her after glancing at Riku. Esmeralda nodded and was about to call for the rest of the gypsies to start clearing up when she caught sight of the judge staring back with hawkish eyes and a victorious yet sick grin on his face, almost to the point of torture. Esmeralda's frozen appearance had caused everyone to turn to where she was looking but and anxious utterings in the court turned into screams of terror.

"Take them all! Allow none to escape." Judge Frollo ordered the guards behind him before walking up to the stage to meet with Esmeralda and the others. "Well boy, you must know me so well. You're right that I wouldn't squander a chance, especially not after you led me directly to the court of miracles."

"So you never knew where it was in the first place. And the lack of guards," Riku started.

"All a trap I'm afraid. You were the lure we used to reel in the fish and now all that is left for them is to be cooked." Frollo answered before looking at Quasimodo. "Good work Quasimodo. Once again, you find ways of proving yourself useful to me even when you try to disobey my orders. Hopefully this serves as a lesson to you."

Quasimodo's eyes moved downward, unable to meet his master in the eye. It was Kairi who stood up for him. "How dare you talk to Quasi like that! He's not some little henchman that you can just order around. He's a human being like you or me. You may have talked down him while you and he were alone but that's not the case anymore. He's not alone, and he doesn't have to put up with this because he has us to help him." Kairi proclaimed a passionate defence of the sullen looking bell ringer.

"Quasimodo's place is none of your concern. And friends? Let me ask you something. Did you walk through the cold on a dark night and happen across a baby on the street with deformed features that not even a mother could love? Did you take that baby into your arms when no one else would to save it from an otherwise sure death? Did you ignore the rumors and hisses of those who called you insane as you stuck to your principles, nurturing and feeding the child for so many years? No? Because _friends_ could never have helped him with that no matter how much you might think, especially when those friends come from a _world_ entirely different from the one he does." Frollo countered. He seemed to stare right through them as if they weren't even there, at least that was until he had mentioned the keyword where his gaze became fixed on Sora, Riku and Kairi as if studying them.

_So Frollo knows about the other worlds? So the reason Kefka was here then was to meet with him, _Sora concluded before asking, "Are you working with Kefka and the others?"

"So you know them too. Hm, their problems do not concern me. They wish to cause meaningless havoc across worlds and watch as despair takes mankind. No, I will fight with righteousness and justice on my side. And with these creatures serving my purpose I will set an example to those who dare defy the sanctity of Paris." Frollo replied. He raised his hands and as if to imitate his movements, a group of Neo Shadows rose up from the ground. Their movements were automated and unnatural with their heads twitching in the most horrific manner. The heaving of their bodies was unsettling much like their commander. Sora usually found it the case that the more darkness a person had in their heart, the stronger the type of Heartless they were able to control, and if a bunch of Neo Shadows were already under Frollo's control then his heart was probably reaching its limits and it was just about ready to overflow like water reaching its container's point.

"You have to stop this Frollo. You think what you're doing is right, and because of that you've become blind to the truth, that the very righteousness and justice you're promoting is being destroyed by you. You're allowing those thoughts to take hold of your heart and if you don't let go of that hate you're just going to turn into one of them." Sora reasoned.

"Forget it Sora, he can't be reasoned with anymore. What you're seeing now is a man who's desperate, and when you're desperate you do pretty crazy things. This is what happens when a person has made it to the top and there are no checks and balances to suppress that power and hold them in check. This is the madness of Judge Frollo. He's even become the rumors he's hated so much." Riku said.

"I am beyond your petty insults. No, what I need is of much more importance and that starts with those Keyblade currently in your possession." Frollo said.

"Why do you need it?" Sora asked. Frollo's answer baffled him.

"You possess the power to unlocking the secrets of the universe and you don't even know its potential… how ignorant. I suppose then the word Atlantis must have no meaning to you."

No, it wasn't that the word had no meaning to Sora; it was exactly because it did that Sora would have questioned Frollo's sanity. A city lost to the ocean's depths, a utopia brought down from the heavens possessing technology and magic more advanced than anyone could imagine allowing the sustenance of life for a very long time. That was the extent to which he knew about it, only because Kairi herself had told him about it once.

"But that's just a myth, right? A fairy tale." Kairi rejected. She was definitely having a hard time believing what she was hearing. And just how had Frollo come across the term anyway?

"Of a fictitious quality one might say. But how can we truly say it doesn't exist just because we cannot see it? My research into the roots of alchemy has taken me to one place and now all the pieces are falling together. I shall make this prompt, hand me these Keyblades and I shall spare your lives." Frollo said. He seemed to be driving for something that was a lot bigger than he could even imagine but the realities of the situation would be unkind to him. Sora wasn't sure whether this Atlantis existed or not, but he wasn't going to doom the gypsies and the other worlds to Frollo's selfishness. Not only that, but this was the key that would guide him to Luna.

"I guess he neglected to tell you that the Keyblade chooses its user. I once craved after power in order to find something as well, or someone I should say," Riku said looking at Kairi, "but all it did was lead me further away from my goal. I had lost sight of the light, and it took my friends to bring me back. But you're too caught up in your own hubris to see that, so we're just going have to do this the normal way." Riku's words probably reached Sora more than Frollo. He wondered how far he would go to rescue Luna. Given the circumstance, could he say he wouldn't have done what Riku did back then? No, the roles could have easily been switched, and while Sora wanted to become stronger he wasn't willing to trust himself on the lengths he would be willing to go to gain it, especially when he blamed himself for what had happened to her.

"Sora, watch out!" It was sudden and completely unexpected, but Kairi's voice snapped him out of his thoughts just in time to see one of the Neo Shadows fling itself at him. Riku's Keyblade came in between his body and the Heartless and cut through it in time.

"Are you okay?" Riku asked him while looking at the other Heartless.

"Yeah, sorry. Where's Frollo?"

"What do you mean where? He and the guards have gone off with Quasimodo, Phoebus and Esmeralda," Riku said before adding, "of course you were too busy spacing out to notice. Before we think of doing anything else we need to take these things out."

Sora nodded and breathed in deeply. More than anything he wished he could be rid of these thoughts that constantly invaded his mind, and yet wanting to not think about them only made him think about them more. Sometimes he had barely gotten any sleep because of them. He soon recovered from his pensive state and summoned his Keyblade before springing into action.

* * *

><p>A bright light revealed the shape of a female figure having just reverted out of her armor. Her raven colored hair was tied up in a plaited bun; her warm honey brown eyes expressed fatigue as she shook off the annoyances associated with her armored form quickly.<p>

Almost immediately she felt lighter and more flexible. While she admitted that her protective gear was good for cloaking her from the darkness and allowing her to travel from world to world, it wasn't very comfortable to wear. There was an extra pressure that was added to her torso and it sometimes felt completely hot under the helmet. The best way to describe it was like being in your own little universe, and in a way it almost made it seem like there was a veil separating the person from reality. All the sounds, the pain, the emotion, intensity and rhythm of the battle were suppressed and she hated that so she tried to wear the armor only when necessary. If it was a choice between safety and comfort with an added feel of gaining adrenaline on the side, she'd definitely choose comfort and adrenaline in this case.

She hadn't intended to come back to this place originally. Although the world was fast blooming and becoming the garden of beauty it once was (at least as seen in the photographs she had seen), in the bed of beauty sometimes lay the horrors of the beast. It was circumstances that had been beyond her or her friend's control that had separated them.

Of course, feelings tend to change when the circumstances align and the girl saw no reason to run away anymore. Her friends had given her the tools, the equipment and the training of a year and a half's worth in the short span of nine months and now all she needed to do was put them to use effectively. Putting on a brave face, Astra started walking, her mission of rescuing Luna in the forefront of her mind and the memories of that night in Radiant Garden, even closer.

* * *

><p><em>And here comes a new challenger! And yes, Frollo was talking about Atlantis though I have to give a special callout to Zetra Emblem and say that El Dorado was a good guess. It's just that we already know a certain Disney movie has Atlantis so it was the best choice to use. Please look forward to it, you know, if it's actually real in this universe anyway. <em>


	5. The Madness of Claude Frollo

_This is Halloween! This is Halloween! Yep, I'm treating this whole month like it's the October 31st. Which means I need to start watching my horror movies, anyway here is your long awaited chapter._

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 5<strong>

**The Madness of Claude Frollo**

It was if the world had revealed itself in all its virtues to Quasimodo only for it to be swiped away moments later. He was subjected to the will of his master, and nothing could change that. Was this feeling a normal one? That of feeling like a dagger was pointed to the heart resulting in him not being able to move? After taking him back to his tower, Frollo had made sure that guards had been positioned in front of the doors to stop him from leaving. Any movements he could make were only further restricted by the chains that bound his wrists and ankles the wall effectively imprisoning him. Whatever freedom that Quasimodo had in this tower, he had taken for granted and had been selfish in trying to seek something more. He had been lucky enough that Frollo hadn't sent him to the stake like he was about to do with the other gypsies he had captured…

Esmeralda… He repeated the name over and over in his head like some kind of twisted obsession. Really, the name was anything but that, offering comfort and solace in its nature and beauty. It was everything that he wasn't, and he had condemned it in the end to the flames. His light was to be snuffed out in only a short while because, although unintentional, it had been he who had led Frollo to her.

Quasimodo shrivelled up in the corner and listened to the sound of silence. No, not quite. There was still the whispering wind that seemed only to be preparing itself for the ghostly wails of the executed that would soon fill the morning sky. There was also the occasional chirping of birds somewhere up above him on the third floor where the bells lay lonely and seeking company. It must have come as odd to the residents of the city that the bell had not been rung all day but Quasimodo didn't care, he didn't have the strength to care anymore.

It wasn't only Esmeralda and the gypsies whose lives he had put in danger. He wondered if Sora, Riku and Kairi were doing alright as well. His master had mentioned something about wanting to obtain their weapons but he had no idea as to what made them so useful to the judge. Had they survived those creatures that Frollo had sent to attack them?

"Come on Quasi, you gotta snap out of it!" The creaking of the floorboards alerted him to his friends' presence, however he kept his head downward and his eyes closed.

"Why? Why did it have to turn out like this?" Quasimodo wallowed in self-disgust.

Laverne shook her head and tugged at the chains only to no avail. "You have to get these chains off Quasi. Your friends need you!"

"It's my fault they're like that in the first place. I'd only bring more trouble. That's all I know how to do anyway." Quasimodo said completely devoid of any strength his voice had once possessed.

"So you're giving up? Just like that?" Hugo asked.

"Is it really the chains that are holding you back Quasi?" Victor added but Quasimodo showed no interest in moving from his spot. Their claims only made him want to stay under the soft duvet of despair that was blanketing him currently. It was something he was familiar with and offered a soothing and calm that he knew he would find if he discarded it. This was his natural habitat, something that had been conditioned into his mind from the moment Frollo had taken him in. He couldn't leave. No, it was more like he didn't want to leave.

As his self-loathing increased by the second, he soon felt his heart pound a lot harder than it should have. He doubled over in pain and clutched at his chest. _No, it couldn't be happening now. Not at a time like this! _Quasimodo noticed his sight becoming obscured by what seemed like invisible shapes of circles and rectangles to which he could only just make out their sides.

"Oh no, is it happening again? Quasi, snap out of it, quickly!" Laverne's warning soon turned to weird muffled sounds as the hunchback tried to make sense of his surroundings. By instinct, he roared out a vicious yell hoping that the guards outside— or anyone really, would come and put him out of his pain. A yell that could only be described as human soon became anything but that…

* * *

><p>"Sora, wait up!"<p>

Sora stopped, his feet sticking to the ground like glue while he turned around to see Riku and Kairi a few feet away from him trying to keep up. "We don't have time. We need to get to the square before Frollo executes Esmeralda and the others." He said forcefully before looking to turn back to the path in front of him. "What's taking you guys so long?"

"Hold up there Sora. Don't you think you're being a little to rash?"

"Rash?" Sora repeated in disbelief at Riku's claim. "Yeah, I would hope so considering a whole bunch of people are about to be put to the flames just for existing. Heck even if they had done something else, it's still barbaric."

"That's not what I'm disagreeing with here. You've been letting yourself act completely on your own impulses for a while now without even thinking. It's not the first time either. You're a Keyblade Master Sora, if you don't stop and look at a situation instead of charging right in you're going to find a lot of problems down the line." Riku replied.

"What's to look at? It's simple, we go and rescue them. What else is there to understand?" Sora shot back. Why Riku had decided to aggravate him at a time like this was something he couldn't understand. And what did being a Keyblade Master matter anyway if he wasn't able to save anyone because of a moment of hesitation? Sora breathed deeply and said calmly, "Riku, can we just leave this for later? I need to save them, or how can I be sure… that I can save…"

"Aha, so for you this is your chance to prove something to yourself then?"

"Maybe."

"Maybe?"

Sora smacked his lips together before responding, "OK, yes. Look, I know what I'm doing, and as long as I have you guys beside me then I won't make the same mistakes I did with her."

"Sometimes you give yourself way too little credit. Also keep in mind that Luna isn't the only person we need to find, there's Alice as well." Riku reminded him. Alice's disappearance had become such a concern that Yen Sid had even called on Roxas, Xion, Lea, Terra, Aqua and Ven to aid them (including Mickey, Donald and Goofy) in searching the worlds for if even one Princess of Heart was lost then the worlds would fall back into the darkness that had plagued it after the Keyblade War. Kefka had been their closest lead to anything but he had gotten away and so they were now back to square one. "Don't take this the wrong way when I say that you've been reckless over these past three months. I've been down that path before, and I almost lost myself because of it. That's why I can see it so easily with you. Just, take it easy… or you're no better than a Heartless." Riku finished.

The words stung but in some ways still reeked of truth. Sora hadn't been thinking clearly as of lately, he could admit that but in the end his heart had always remained intact and had set him on the right path. He knew right from wrong and that had always been good enough, but that didn't seem to be the case anymore. Things were becoming more complex and he didn't have that simplicity to rely on anymore.

"OK, I'll start with this then," Sora said on a warmer note, "What is this alchemy stuff Frollo's talking about? And Atlantis… it shouldn't exist, right Kairi?"

"That's what my grandma told me but who knows. Maybe she knew more than she was letting on." Kairi said.

"Right, that story with the children who rebuilt the lost world did seem pretty accurate to the events of the Keyblade War. Maybe it's the same thing here." Sora proposed.

"I understand that we've come so far that it's hard to just dismiss anything for baseless conjecture or a mere myth but how much did my grandma really know? For that matter, how much did Ansem the Wise know? I think he knew my grandma and my real parents but it's too late to ask him now." said a downtrodden Kairi.

_Oh great, now see what you've done Riku? _Sora thought before comforting her with a hand on her shoulder. Strangely enough, having very little recollection of her time spent in Radiant Garden had not seemed to faze Kairi in the slightest during their time on the islands. She had arrived, she had gotten to meet Sora and Riku, after a few times of Riku engaging in a multitude of questions about her world like he was interrogating a suspect in a crime he had eventually given up and the three of them had continued on like Kairi had always been on the islands. She had not even shown any interest in wanting to go back to her world until Riku had mentioned the possibility to them two years ago.

Another thing which Sora would have associated with leaving one's home was the feeling of being home sick however Kairi hadn't shown any of those symptoms now that he thought about it. He had only been four or five at the time so he obviously wouldn't have thought about things like that in much detail but now he had to wonder what exactly Xehanort had done at the time before sending Kairi off to the islands to find the Keyblade Master. It could have also been that since some people adapt more quickly to environments they're not used to as opposed to others then Kairi was simply able to come to terms with her new home at a faster rate. What Sora was definitely sure of was that having spent an increasingly longer amount of time in Radiant Garden had made Kairi more curious about her world.

"So, about alchemy…" Sora said, wanting to move as a far away from the topic of the past as possible.

"Yeah, I'm stumped as well. Do you have any idea Kairi?" Riku asked.

Kairi cheered up frighteningly quickly and cleared her throat before talking as if she were a living encyclopaedia. "Wow, you two are so clueless. Alchemy is the study of turning base metals into gold and silver. Of course there are other beliefs which associate it with creating an elixir of life which can grant immortality."

Sora almost choked. "Wait immortality? Pfft, what's this nonsense?"

"And turning base metals into gold and silver? With that kind of knowledge you'd be making more munny than Scrooge McDuck has in a lifetime." Riku supplemented.

"Yeah, I don't think he'd be too happy knowing that there was someone richer than him, he'd lose his marbles." Sora said letting out a laugh.

Kairi however was quite critical of their scepticism. "Does it really seem impossible to you? Something very similar is already underway though. Moogle synthesis? You've never wondered how it worked?"

Both Sora and Riku shook their heads. "Nope. Me, Donald and Goofy always just watched them do cool stuff and then paid them. That was it." Sora said.

"Well the process of transmuting base metals such as orichalcum into noble metals is pretty much the same as alchemy. Wanna know how it's done?" asked a way too excited Kairi.

Riku shook his head again. "Uh, no thank you-"

"They dig for orichalcum ore in the mines which heavily produce the metal. Since it's usually combined with impure metals to form compounds they have to extract the pure orichalcum by reacting it with carbon and then-"

Kairi was so busy chatting away absentmindedly that she became completely unaware of the two boys' boredom. Sora leaned over to Riku and whispered, "Whelp, that was a bad idea. Let's get to the cathedral before she notices that we're gone."

"Agreed, at this rate we'll be here all week if we stay here to listen to whatever she's talking about."

"-and then they heat the orichalcum to a state where it can be melded and- guys? Oh come on now, and I was just getting to the good part…" Kairi said after becoming aware that Sora and Riku were already half way down the road and had left her behind. She huffed in annoyance before following after them in a run.

It was a case of getting what you put in here and for the trio, they were quite surprised at the distance they had managed to cover by the time they had ran out of breath. Just up ahead was the archway that led towards the town square and just besides them the inn casting its shadow over their bodies. Sora looked up and saw a beautiful orange curtain stretching across the sky. The sun was rising, and they were running out of time.

"So what's the plan?" Kairi asked after a minute of rest and silence among the group.

"We go and put a stop to the execution, it's really as simple as that. Though make sure you're prepared to fight in case anything goes wrong." Sora paused before adding with concern, "You ready for this?"

"I'm not the same girl who was taken hostage by Axel and the Organization Sora. You don't have to worry about me. So let's do this." Kairi said confidently. Sora nodded at her and then Riku before advancing down the street.

Not even a few seconds had passed upon entering the town square that Sora had encountered a grave problem. "No… nononononoNO!"

"Uh, using words other than no please Sora?" Riku suggested not seeing the problem. Of course he couldn't since he had never encountered it before. Either way, it wouldn't have taken long for him to have figured it out judging from what not just Sora, but the whole crowd in the square were looking at. Atop the cathedral was a beast, its claws digging into one of the gargoyle statues on the rooftop to give it support while it held something else in its other hand. It was slightly difficult to make out from the angle the beast was holding her at but her long black hair seemed to indicate clearly that it was Esmeralda.

"Wait, you don't mean to tell me-"

"Yeah, that's Quasimodo's chimera." Sora finished for Kairi before making his way forward. Riku and Kairi followed him having to push through the gigantic crowd as best they could who were absolutely frozen stiff by the terror above. Sora amused himself by imagining that from a bird's eye view the scene must have resembled a still life painting, of course now wasn't the time to wonder about such things.

This shifting of the crowd was not lost of Judge Frollo whose eyes were torn away from the creature to find themselves set upon the three teenagers fast approaching the doors of the cathedral. As his anger intensified, a dark glow surrounded him with Heartless appearing near him. The common signs were showing and Frollo seemed unaware of its effects. It was just as Riku said then. Whatever traces of Frollo's mind had once existed were now replaced by a palpable loathing.

The strange entities' reappearance caused the crowd to disperse in fear filling the air with screams and cries. The Large Body craned its neck both sides before throwing its body towards the trio. Kairi cast Slow magic while it was still in the air giving the group an ample amount of time to get away before all moving into strike from the back.

"You guys take care of Frollo. I'll go see if I can help Quasi and Esmeralda." Sora said backing away slowly from the fight.

"Any ideas if you can't get Quasimodo to listen?" Riku asked. He stopped one of the Soldier's claws midway with his Keyblade before lunging diagonally downward to stab the Heartless and take it out.

"No." Sora acknowledged simply before smiling and heading on into the cathedral. His smile became a big grin after just managing to pick up Kairi's words as he entered through.

"He's so reassuring sometimes."

* * *

><p>Sora wasted no time in immediately turning to his left and heading up the spiral staircase to confront the chimera. He soon emerged out in to the narrow gap path leading to the other side of the building where the bell tower was and looked down. He was powerless to control the utterance of interest that had escaped his mouth. While it seemed like things were out of control on the ground, from where Sora was standing the entire square was bathed in a beautiful orange light thanks to the fire that had been started on the podium. It appeared that Frollo had just been in the middle of setting Esmeralda alight when Quasimodo had rescued her. Looking further past where Riku and Kairi were fighting the Heartless, an angry mob was successfully pushing the guards that Frollo had posted back towards the direction of the cathedral. Notably among them was the gypsy leader Clopin Trouillefou and Phoebus.<p>

_They must've found their way out of wherever Frollo was holding them, _Sora mused before continuing towards the bell tower but going past it to where he had spotted Quasimodo from below.

He turned the corner to find Esmeralda lying on the ground unconscious. Without thinking, Sora rushed forward and was about to bend down next to her when he saw _it _coming out of the corner of his eye. He threw himself into the wall and no matter how painful his shoulder felt at the moment, he knew it was but a bruise compared to what the chimera would have done to him had his head connected with Sora's chest.

_Of course it was a trap, why didn't I see that coming? _Well, he had a fairly good idea. Most Heartless weren't able to think and plan ahead in such a way so laying Esmeralda down as bait hadn't been expected. It would simply mean that he wouldn't just be able to charge in with Keyblade in hand and expect to win anymore.

Quasimodo's chimera turned quickly after it had attempted to spear Sora before flying towards him quickly. Sora raised his Keyblade to guard and felt the heavy impact of the chimera slamming against metal. With the force came an awesome nature that threw Sora's guard of causing him to stumble. The gargoyle shaped chimera moved in for another swipe and Sora raised his Keyblade again. _Big mistake, _Sora thought seeing the problem before it had even occurred. His hands' position around the guard of the Kingdom Key was off and not nearly strong enough to resist the second attack sending him to the floor.

"Gotta get Esmeralda away from here." He muttered to himself before raising his Keyblade and firing of three jets of Firaga quickly. The chimera roared in pain as it was caught in the flames and retreated back into the sky giving Sora a chance for a little breather before making his way towards Esmeralda again. A ball of fire smashing into the wall ahead of him stopped and forced him into a defensive stance once again. _Of course it shoots fire. They always shoot fire, _Sora thought in annoyance as he cancelled out a few more of the magic attacks with his own Blizzaga magic while he moved sideways towards Esmeralda's body.

Eventually he reached her side and erected a reflect barrier before lifting her up so that her arm was hanging around Sora's neck. Through much difficulty due to her height and the weight of her body being dragged across the ground, Sora made his way towards the door of the bell tower while trying to keep the barrier up to the best of his ability. He had attempted something like this while under strain so the fear of the barrier falling before he could make it was a prominent one in his head, and even after he had successfully gotten to the door and opened it, he still found it hard to believe that he had made it.

He rested Esmeralda carefully onto the floor and looked at her sleeping form with a smile. "I'll rescue Quasimodo. But in the end the only one who might be able to help him, is you." he told her before leaving the tower, pulling out a certain card from his pocket as he did so.

* * *

><p>The arrival of Phoebus and the other gypsies offered some comfort to Kairi as they entered the town square by forcing their way through the guards Frollo had positioned around the area.<p>

"How did you get out?" she asked Phoebus after he had rejoined up with her and Riku.

"Surprisingly my handsome charms managed to save the day. And I thought I was cursed for being so good looking. Maybe it's a gift after all." Phoebus answered.

_In other words you bribed the guard. _Kairi shook her head expressively in annoyance at Phoebus' self-inflated ego before continuing on with the fight. One of the Soldier Heartless spun and threw its body at Phoebus only for Kairi to quickly come in the way and hook onto the spin with the tip of the Keyblade. She spun her body and flung, redirecting the Soldier Heartless into the wall. "I guess you owe me one." she said with a bit of her own smugness.

"No I don't." Phoebus said quickly before dancing around her where he easily cut through on of the few remaining Soldiers who had been targeting Kairi's back. "Now we're even." Phoebus declared before moving off on the offensive.

It was only a few seconds of staring into an empty space thoughtfully that she quickly realized something and turned to look at the stage only to find that Judge Frollo was nowhere to be seen. "Riku, we have a problem!"

"Yeah, kinda busy with my own problems at the moment Kairi." Riku said. He kicked one of the Heartless that jumped at him before cutting through another to his side.

"Frollo is gone. I think he used this as a distraction while he slipped away to follow Sora." Kairi said. Riku paused and looked over to the stage, his mouth forming a perfect 'o' replicating Kairi's own shock at the time of discovery.

"I think Phoebus has everything in control here. Let's go after Frollo and fast." Riku said. The two charged through the doors of the cathedral with urgency being their only indicator of time.

_So this is what they have to go through all the time, _Kairi thought as she followed Riku up the stairs. The tension. The rush. The anxiety. All of it culminating into giant leaking pot of boiling water just ready to overflow. This was the meaning of an adventure. Where were they headed from here? Kairi didn't know, but neither did Sora or Riku on their own journeys. That confusion was part of the adventure and she couldn't believe that she was finally experiencing the thrill of the chase.

"Frollo, stay right where you are!" Riku yelled as they emerged from the claustrophobic stairway onto the rooftop of the cathedral. Even from here, the hisses, crackles and pops of ember intensity could be heard from below, a product of the ongoing battle between the gypsies, the guards and the Heartless. Up ahead, Frollo was about to wrap his hand around the doors to the bell tower, otherwise there was no sign of Quasimodo or Sora though a few roars from behind the tower indicated that they were somewhere on the other side of the cathedral.

Frollo pulled his hands away from the door rather abruptly and spun around to reveal a glint coming off a small object. He walked towards them with a mad gleam in his eyes and his hand pointing the object, now revealed to be a dagger, threateningly at them. "And who would have thought that dear Quasimodo had turned out to be one of those creatures in the end? You must have known, not that it makes any difference in the end. A creature who was born to be alone in the first place is simply aligning with the path fate has set for him."

"His fate?" Kairi repeated in outrage.

"We can't run from fate. All living things have their defined path. My own is far away from here, in the land of beginnings. I will uncover the secrets of our ancestors, and all I need do is follow the set of breadcrumbs that they laid out." Frollo declared.

"You sound like a guy I knew. I hated that guy and hate is such a strong word so trust me when I say I won't take lightly if you end up on that list too." Riku warned darkly.

Frollo cut his hand diagonally through the air like a sharp knife and cursed. "You foolish children. You could not even begin to understand how small and insignificant you are in the grand scheme of things. Yet here you stand before me painting yourselves as cherubs refusing to acknowledge the ignorance of your ways and the power that you hold. In the end you either live to seek the truth or you become lost in the forest of lies that the world wishes you to think as natural. If you must stand in my way, then I will have no choice. May he forgive me for what I am about to do, for I must find the truth hidden within the lies."

He was about to rush forward to attack Kairi and Riku when the door behind him flew open and Esmeralda jumped onto Frollo's back. Frollo desperately struggled to get her off of his back but she clung tightly grasping at his neck.

"They're gonna fall!" Kairi yelled noticing how dangerously close they were to the railing that separated them form the square. However she knew even as she was running forward that it was already too late. Within seconds, Esmeralda's weight sent both her and Frollo tipping over the railing. Kairi reacted quickly and reached the railing, extending the arm with which she was holding the Keyblade out. Frollo sacrificed the dagger in his hand for the chance to grab it and suddenly Kairi felt as if she was being sent of the edge herself.

"Gotcha." Riku said placing his hands around the handle of Destiny's Embrace and pulling with an impressive exertion of force. Esmeralda, who was clutching onto Frollo's legs, saw Phoebus on the pathway below her with his hands outstretched. She slowly moved around Frollo with the help of his cloak before throwing herself towards Phoebus who managed to catch her almost effortlessly. Riku congratulated Phoebus on the catch before focusing his attention back on Frollo.

"Frollo, it doesn't have to end this way. Just give me your hand and we'll go from there." Kairi bent over the railing and used her free hand to reach out to Frollo. It wasn't the idea of saving him that was appealing. It was that he knew about this Atlantis and had wanted the Keyblades to get there. Was it possible then that the Keyblades were the key to finding Atlantis if it really did exist? She had to know what else Frollo knew about the myth.

"Why would you risk helping me?" Frollo asked wearily as he felt his hands starting to slip from the amount of sweat that had built up on his palms.

"Because of a truth that you're too stubborn to see." Kairi replied waiting for him to take her hand. Slowly, Frollo made for her hand only to dig his nails into her flesh drawing blood. Kairi winced and pulled rapidly pulled her hand away.

"Bad idea." Riku said before letting go of the Keyblade. Frollo yelled as he fell and reached out to grab something, anything that could help him. His arms soon found themselves wrapped around one of the gargoyle architectures around the building, with Destiny's Embrace landing on a gargoyle statue adjacent to him.

With a smile plastered on his face, Frollo soon helped himself up and found his footing on what little space he had to stand on. All he had to do now was reach for the Keyblade and he would have solved half the problem of reaching the fabled land of beginnings. Kairi looked down at him in pity while clutching at her bleeding hand. If only Frollo knew that the Keyblade would not simply be his just because he had picked it up. No, even if he did know, it wouldn't have stopped a man like him who had completely lost his mind. He was much more concerned with getting that Keyblade than figuring out how he was going to get down safely afterwards.

Frollo urged his arms to go farther, but it was clear that they had reached their limits, and so too had the statue underneath him. He wobbled as the gargoyle underneath, unable to support him, cracked and gave way sending the person standing on it to the ground. Kairi turned away immediately, not wanting to see the results but her thoughts certainly weren't ashamed of their creativity.

"Are you alright?" Riku asked with his eyes on her hands.

"Heh, it's just a flesh wound." Kairi recited dramatically before calling Destiny's Embrace back to her. "I was kind of hoping that he would be able to tell us more about Atlantis though. Oh well, I guess some things just aren't meant to happen. More importantly we need to get to Sora."

* * *

><p>"What did you just say?" Sora asked in shock. Was it the blowing of the wind or hisses of the flames that he had simply heard and misconstrued as words?<p>

"So-RA…HElp… mE." No, that was definitely Quasimodo's voice he had heard. Sora wanted him to repeat it over and over again like a piece of beautiful music that was impossible to stop listening to.

"Yes... YES, that's right Quasi. I know you're still there. Okay, I'll do my part too. I _will _help you." Sora replied with a grin glad that showing his secret weapon, if one could really constitute a card as a weapon, had worked. With that, Sora brandished his Keyblade once more and charged forward.

It thrashed its arms about but Sora dodge rolled through an uncovered space to get behind him before activating _Ars Arcanum_. He hastily smashed the Kingdom Key against Quasimodo's hardened shell several times trying his best to ignore the cries from his opponent. It would be okay, because Sora knew that no matter how much Sora threw Quasi's way, he would be able to take it. All this suffering, this agony and pain… if Quasi could face it now then he was already taking the first steps to being free.

Sora jumped away and aimed, shooting multiple blizzards at Quasimodo who blocked each one by raising his arms before responding with balls of fire. Sora coated his Keyblade in fire and moved the Kingdom Key in line with each of the attacks absorbing the element before sending them back in waves of ripples. Quasimodo's chimera flung himself off the building and took flight before the waves could hit him.

Sora smiled and followed him, jumping off the cathedral. It was exactly what he had wanted, especially because he had realized that he stood no chance on the narrow pathway that was the roof. He cast Gravity on himself to make him lighter before switching the Kingdom Key's element from fire to blizzard. He glided forward and started attacking the chimera. Each time Quasimodo decided to take a swipe, Sora managed to perform and aerial recovery before continuing his slashes. One final aerial recovery sent Sora lower than Quasimodo where he was able to grab at the chimera's head with collision magnet before dragging both him and Quasi down towards the ground. As his body was lighter, he managed to stall his fall just in time to bring his Keyblade slamming downwards cutting the cable that the collision magnet provided.

With his falling speed and gravity against him, the chimera soon crashed into the execution stage sending pieces of wood flying in different directions. Sora landed neatly and cancelled the Gravity magic before running over to the massive pile containing chunks of wood in the middle of the square.

"Quasimodo!" Esmeralda exclaimed, arriving on the scene along with Phoebus only a few seconds after Sora had landed.

"Weren't you supposed to be in the bell tower?" Sora asked her once the three had joined up.

"I woke up, and not a moment too late it seems. Is he alright?" Esmeralda asked. She was about to step forward to search the debris when Sora cut off her approach with his hand. He waited, hoping that what emerged from that debris was something entirely different from the former. It was only when the familiar human arms reached out of the debris that Sora relaxed and allowed Esmeralda to run up to Quasimodo.

"You did good kid." Phoebus said giving Sora a slap on the back before heading over to help Esmeralda.

"No, it was all Quasi." Sora said. He heard the sound of running footsteps behind him and grinned as he turned to welcome Kairi and Riku. "Hey guys. Why are you coming from the cathedral? I missed something didn't I? And Frollo?" When Kairi shook her head, Sora showed no change of emotion but simply nodded. He understood that it couldn't have been any other way much like it had been the case for Cruella De Vil or Maleficent. He had to wonder if it was a case of too much exposure resulting in him being indifferent to it.

Together, all five of them managed to clear the destruction and help Quasimodo out of it. Initially he appeared to be dizzy but was soon in the firm grip of reality after a while of coming to distinguish each of his five senses. Around them were signs of victory from the gypsies and the other townsfolk that had involved themselves with the fight and the Heartless were nowhere to be seen.

"Sora… you saved me. Thank you so much!" He exclaimed throwing his arms around Sora in a crushing bear hug.

"Hey, easy there Quasimodo. You might end up breaking him." Phoebus said. Quasimodo soon realized that he was squeezing the life out of Sora and put him down apologising quickly.

"Hngh, don't worry about it Quasi," Sora wheezed before pulling out a familiar card in his pocket and showing him, "she wouldn't have wanted you to give up this easily."

Kairi peered around Sora to examine the tarot card. It was the sun, a card that Sora hadn't even known he was in possession of until the last possible moment. It had been stuck to the back of a different card with the mark of an _X _on it. It was also the one thing keeping Sora from doubting Luna's survival.

"You're right. I didn't realize it until then but I think it's time I took my own life in my own hands. My indecisiveness and being scared of the outside world was ambrosia for Frollo to exploit. I was his tool, a weapon, but no more. Now I'll think for myself and act without that fear. Though, I'm still a chimera right?" Quasimodo ended his speech on a sour note and once again the group were forced to embrace the cold harshness of the situation. Wanting to rectify this, Quasimodo quickly walked over to Esmeralda and Phoebus and placed their hands into each other. Sora's grim expression turned into a smile as he watched. "And finding independence, also means having to give up the things that are closest to home sometimes." He finished with a heart-warming smile as Esmeralda and Phoebus embraced each other.

* * *

><p>An unusually positive and energetic morning soon continued on throughout the day with Quasimodo quickly becoming the talk of the townspeople. If there was a discussion about the bell ringer, there was not a single person who didn't have a smile on their faces while taking about him. He wasn't the only one being praised with Sora, Riku and Kairi also appearing as the unexpected heroes who had helped to save Notre Dame. Riku and especially Sora did their best to shy away from any public attention while it was Kairi who tried to milk it for all it was worth.<p>

It soon reached noon and it was time to head back to the Gummi Ship. Riku and Kairi had already gone back to the Gummi Ship after saying their goodbyes while Sora had decided to face his own fear and look down the aisle at the group of benches where he and Luna had had their conversation. He forced himself to look at the exact spot they had sat before walking over to the bench and examining it. He didn't know what else to expect, some trace of evidence that had been left behind as to her whereabouts maybe but the only thing he found there was an empty seat. Just an empty seat.

Sora exited the cathedral and took one last look at the place before turning away and meeting Esmeralda (escorted by her goat Djali), Quasimodo and a surprise guest in the baker. In his hands was a loaf of freshly baked bread.

"Oh, you didn't need to." Sora said but before he could react, the baker had already forced the bread into his hands.

"It's not for you. Would you have Luna try some for me? Tell her it will put a smile on that sick face of hers," he said and twirled his thick moustache, "she'll be happy to know that I think it's my best one yet."

"I'm sure she won't be able to stop eating. I know I couldn't." Sora complimented though the topic of Luna really only made him sadder that he had to constantly lie to another person who seemed to care about her. The bowed before walking off leaving the three of them alone.

Esmeralda waited until the baker was far away before saying. "Don't worry, you'll definitely find her."

"Huh? W-wait, where did that come from?" Sora stuttered around and pretended as if he had no idea what she was talking about though his poker face spoke quite clearly for her.

"I had my suspicions but I wasn't too sure until you referred to _her _when you were talking to Quasi this morning. You don't have to hide anything. It's not your fault. I don't know what you have to go through each day but I do know that Luna believes in you three and she's fighting with everything she's got to be back with her friends. You are a hero Sora. I could see that she admired you when I first met her. Hopefully, she'll be able to help Quasi find a cure that will save him from this suffering."

Sora's smile turned into a frown and he looked off to the side. "Yes, hopefully but… you have one thing wrong. I'm not a hero."

* * *

><p><em>Yeah, Sora is pretty damaged after the events of DD, and sadly that's not going to be the only thing that shakes our hero's confidence. It's okay, you can curse me later. More chapters coming soon. <em>


	6. Worlds in Ruin

_I must apologise for the delay. This chapter would have come out sooner had my bloody mouse not malfunctioned. But now I have an all new and improved mouse and so the journey continues. _

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 6<strong>

**Worlds in Ruin**

A simple sigh escaped Astra's mouth as she arrived in the residential district. Smoke poured from the chimneys of the houses rising up into the air until both elements became indistinguishable by themselves. An unusual yet interesting smell wafted her senses and led her to one house in particular. She couldn't help but feel like a stalker as she peered through one of the windows to uncover the source of this smell.

This would have certainly been a smell that Luna would have warmly welcomed into her nostrils. On most days after school, she would drag Astra all the way to Kit's Bakery where the owner would have appeared and assortment of delicious iced cakes and pastries. Said smell was so good and familiar that it almost made her forget about her mission… almost. It didn't change the fact that her world was gone and that her friend was missing too and when she remembered that, her chest felt like it was on fire and she found her goal to be a vigorously passionate one, and that wasn't necessarily a bad thing.

"You know, there's a word for people who look into other people's houses without their knowledge. Rude, was it?"

Astra turned upon hearing this voice to meet a man who certainly gave the feeling of wanting to appear cool. Her eyes fell to the sword attached to his waist and smiled before speaking, "So you're a fighter huh? Weird weapon. Why is the grip tilted in such an odd fashion?"

"It's a gunblade." The man ran his hands through his hair with a thoughtful look on his face. _Uh, is this guy saying something or is he thinking it? _Astra pulled a weird face expecting the man to say something. Eventually he did and Astra finally relaxed her muscles. "You didn't tell me why you were looking into the window. You never seen a house before?"

"You never developed manners?" Astra shot back ignoring the somewhat hypocritical nature of her counter before asking, "I suppose this is your house then?"

"Not exactly." said the gunblade wielder. Again, another moment of silence.

_This guy is seriously a downer. There IS something as taking a carefree attitude too far, _she thought before summoning a Keyblade. In reaction, the man fell out of his nonchalant state and allowed an exponential amount of emotion to flow from his face, of course Astra was exaggerating, she had really only thought of the man as a robot until now. "That's a… Keyblade. Where did you get that?" he asked after recovering. _Now we're getting somewhere. _

"So you know what it is. You must be a naughty boy… ooh, unless you happen to know another wielder. So how about this," A hungry grin took precedent on Astra's face as she spun her Keyblade around playfully. She continued, "How about we fight? If you win, I leave and you won't even have to acknowledge the existence of a girl who has never seen a house before, but if I win… then you have to answer each and every one of my questions. Is that a deal?"

"Is this really necessary?" The man asked a while after Astra had made her proposition.

"Are most things in our world necessary? I don't know. That's why I want to find out." she answered cryptically. The questions that were circulating her mind, she wanted this fight to decide whether she wanted to know or needed to know. Evaluating her own fighting technique in the process was an added bonus.

"I can't say I understand your reason, but how can I pass fighting a Keyblade wielder up? The name's Leon." he said unhooking the sword from its holster.

"Astra, and to clear something up, I have lived in a house before." Astra replied looking at her own weapon. Midnight Mauve, the name had popped into her head the moment she had received it. It was hardly her favorite time of day but it was light in her hands, it certainly wasn't hindered by its capable reach and she rather liked the predominating black mauve colors that formed the Keyblade. The teeth of the Keyblade looked like shards of broken purple glass that aimed off in different directions and the length going down was designed to be flat. Of course Astra knew that she would hardly be considering the aesthetics of the weapon while she was fighting.

"I've been itching for some practice anyway. Okay, don't hold back then." Leon said before running towards her. Astra quickly considered the way he held the gunblade before retaliating. As he ran, the placement of the blade was over his shoulders, in fact, it was his shoulder was supporting the weight of the blade. If that was the case then there was really only one way he could attack. Perceiving an oncoming overhead swing, Astra easily dodged the slash and moved behind him before angling her elbow correctly and smashing it into Leon's ribs. Leon spun on his feet but kept his balance before swinging wildly. Astra cartwheeled away in time before pivoting and using strike raid on Leon. The Gunblade wielder guarded quickly, the impacting clash of both metals containing enough force to push him back into the wall.

Midnight Mauve soon returned to Astra and she shook her head disappointedly. "Are you sure you aren't the one who's holding back. You know, all of a sudden I don't think I want these questions of mine answered anymore."

"Whatever. I'm just getting warmed up." Leon said before throwing a blast of fire at her. Astra ran straight for it with an insane grin and held Midnight Mauve out to absorb the spell's energy before directing it right back at its owner with a horizontal slash. Leon tried to block again but this attack was more powerful and sent him to the ground.

"HA-HA-HA. Unless you really enjoy getting your ass kicked, you'll stay on the ground. Or if you're a little daring maybe you can try again. I could do this all day so I don't mind." Astra said placing her hands on her hips and letting out a loud roar of laughter.

"Squall, what are you- Is that a Keyblade?" Astra could only stare on dumbfounded as a girl in blue ran up to her and bent down inspecting the Keyblade closely while nodding her head as if she was in the process of deciding something.

Leon, or was it Squall, extended his hand for the girl helplessly. "Uh, Rinoa? I'm not sure that's… forget it."

"Well this is certainly a colorful cast of characters." Astra said feeling uneasy by this Rinoa's strange approach. Of course if these people knew her friend, then it was to be expected. Astra could see Luna being the type to attract weirdos being one herself. "So… I take it I win?"

* * *

><p><em>She wraps herself underneath the covers hoping to fall into sleep's embrace. Her room is dark, though not so dark that she can't see anything around her. Her only source of light is the moon's light which couldn't help but peer into this little four year old girl's room. She tosses and turns trying to find some comfortable way of falling asleep. Maybe sideways… or perhaps on her back… or maybe on her stomach? Eventually she stops moving and her eyes open. Her only companion is her teddy so she clings to him tightly, unwilling to let go. Maybe he can help her get to sleep for he's been with her through thick and thin, and she sees no reason why it should be any different this time.<em>

_That's when she hears it. Not loud and obvious, but faint and certainly there. It's the creaking of something, a door… and breathing to go along with it. When it breathes, she stops breathing. She listens, hoping that this isn't real, after all there are no such things as monsters in the closet or under the bed, right?_

_She keeps her eyes on teddy nonetheless. The girl doesn't want to scream if she doesn't have to. Maybe it's merely the wind blowing a gusty ruckus outside? Deciding upon this as the blind truth, she snuggles into her bed even more and tries to close her eyes… tries… no. She can't. The more she tries to ignore it, the more obvious it becomes that it's not the wind outside. It is in fact in her room._

_Once again her eyes open, and this time she sees it. A shadow in the moonlight. It doesn't belong to any of the toys scattered around her room. It's human in figure. She's curious. Frightened as anyone would be to find an unwanted shadow in their room, but curious. This curiosity wins over her capricious mind and slowly she turns her head, only enough so that she can tell from the corner of her left eye alone. _

_It's there, but it's not inside a closet peering at her and it's definitely not under her bed reaching out to grab her. Instead, it's just standing there in the corner of her room… watching. She knows not how to react. All she can do is turn her head all the way and look into the eyes of the monster who does nothing. And what a power it is. He needs only look at her for the girl to realize that she isn't in control of the situation, that this room is not her own, nor is her body. A fearful look descends upon the girl and she quickly tries to hide under the covers, but it's already too late. The effect is done. She knows he is watching. She can feel his gaze on her, can feel his breath against her ear even when he isn't near. This demon in the shape of man who can control her by merely observing… his name is-_

Luna screamed as she woke up with a start. Somewhere along the line she had forgotten to breathe and this realization quickly forced her to start coughing violently. Soon the coughs resided and her breathing returned to normal though this didn't stop her from shaking. What she had just seen, was a nightmare, right? But if that was the case, why had it felt so real? She searched her memories for anything pertaining to the incident but came up with nothing. She was sure she had retained all of her memories as well so she wasn't about to doubt them. There was also a most unnatural inconsistency in the nightmare. The monster standing in the corner of the room had been Abraxas but she had certainly not met him until just over nine months ago.

"This place is seriously getting to me, urgh." she croaked tiredly and let out a yawn before standing up lazily. The best possible way of explaining such a dream was that she had had a similar nightmare before and this time, had replaced the monster in that dream with a more horrifying one in her eyes. Well, unless Abraxas had really been in her room at the time then that seemed like the most plausible explanation. Dreams were funny things after all that could reflect the heart's wants and fears, she had come to learn over her journey.

Where she stood now was what she had found to be one of the Dark Realm's safe zones. They were scattered and scarce but when she found them, what usually followed were moments of great relief, at least until the fighting started again. In this particular safe zone there were multiple paths that she could take however she had already been down all of them except two. She figured that if she could keep a level head and explore one of the paths for a few hours before returning back to camp then she should be fine. So far, this tactic of steady pace had worked wonders on her psyche. She wasn't about to wander off into the middle of nowhere only to end up never finding the safe zone again. It was the equivalent of living out in the wild. It was adapt to strategy or die, the only difference being that she didn't think it was likely to be attacked every five seconds while being out in the wild as opposed to this place where she had no room for respite outside of the safe zones.

Without thinking, Luna took one of the available paths left that she hadn't explored. As long as these paths were available to her then she didn't want to rule out the possibility that one of these paths contained a way out. That didn't mean that what she had found in the other paths hadn't been intriguing. On the contrary she had discovered places that had confirmed her suspicion that she was in the realm of darkness.

What lied at the end of these paths? Nothing but worlds in ruin. They were like scattered remnants that had made it to this realm by taking on the form of stardust according to Jiminy's Journal. Here, the heart of the world resided and was made invisible by the fact that the realm of darkness couldn't be seen by the visible light spectrum. Because the heart reflected the state of the world itself, the world or star would blink out of existence in the realm of light. It wasn't that the world itself was gone, but that it would have been impossible to locate it given its immaterial state of existence.

Already had Luna been to five worlds which had fallen to darkness and she was no doubt about to head to another one. The last one had been of particular significance to her albeit in an indirect way. It definitely looked to be the world of her friends, the Destiny Islands and if that was the case, then they would be happy to hear that she had brought their world back into the realm of light. It was the only thing she could do to help the other side without being in it, though nothing was a certainty in this place and she didn't know where these worlds disappeared to each time she found these broken worlds' keyholes. For all she knew she was dooming these worlds into an even deeper darkness. It wouldn't have been the first time.

Quickly she dismissed the thought. For whatever reason, certain thoughts and feelings were intensified in the realm of darkness and were she to blame herself for even one second for destroying her own world and killing her parents then she'd be subjected to a torment that would be hard to recover from.

As soon as she stepped out of the safe zone, the Heartless appeared. Instead of fighting them she just ran passed the ones she could and took out the others that were in her way. Her heart pounded wildly as it had been doing so for the rest of the time that she had been here. Surely that couldn't be good for her heart? Was there such a thing as experiencing too much of one particular emotion?

She quick stepped out of the way of a Neo Shadow's attack before cutting through a thick horde of Heartless that were in her way. She found out during her time here that she could increase her swing speed by loosely gripping onto the handle of Dream Seeker, adding flexibility by using her wrist and finger movements to handle the Keyblade. Once she had cleared the way through, she advanced forward quickly.

The path that she dared tread appeared ugly and malformed in nature, or was it a twisted nature for nothing was of the beauty associated in nature here. There was hardly any consistency or logic, for example, in the chunks of rock that floated both sideways and upright. Multiple circular indentations were inscribed onto the ground like pot holes with Luna having to be careful in avoiding them.

Different layers of geo formation existed, some instances forming hexagonal prism slopes while others formed the shape of cones. Luna had learned to use the rocks to her advantage by using them to take out enemies or increase her momentum. They did serve another purpose however. Judging by their shapes, Luna had found a familiar pattern to the foreign rock formations she had encountered in the fog before she had fallen into the darkness. If the two places were connected then it only made sense that the rocks were similar types, but it didn't explain why they connected or how Abraxas' illusions could have even thrown her into this predicament. Whatever the cause was, it was bigger than Abraxas.

Eventually she came to a dead end with no more ground to walk on and no fork in the path to decide upon.

_Is this the end? This can't be right. _Luna walked to the edge of the road and bent down before throwing her hand downwards. There was no immediate secret invisible path to walk on but there were a column attached to the jagged edge of the path that extended all the way down into the darkness. She had come across yet another important decision that she had to carefully think about. She could either go down this vertical column to see where it led or she could go back the way she came from and pick the other path.

She couldn't help but let out a long exaggerated moan before an idea popped into her head. Luna placed her head next to the available ground, pointed her Keyblade downwards and let go off it watching it fly off into the darkness. A faint thud was soon heard after approximately eight seconds of counting and she relaxed a bit. So there was definitely another level down below that was surprisingly quite close considering how dark it appeared.

Carefully, she threw her legs over the black space and eased herself downward until she was hugging the rough column. She dared not look down or even above her as she descended slowly but surely towards the confirmed ground. The particular incident reminded her of a much simpler time. She had been 12 years old when she had first gone rock climbing with her family and Astra. The terrifying prospect of falling had been a horrifying one prior to the actual climbing but as with all things, the fear itself had been scarier than actually doing it. Their guide had certainly been careful in making sure that they were tightly secured to a cable and their safety gear was put on properly anyway. It still didn't take away from the fact that Luna hated heights. The only reason she had gone along with it was because her parents had gotten Astra to convince her. Her best friend had been the reason that Luna had even the confidence to do most of the things that she had done in her life.

If she ever did get out of here, finding Astra would be one of the first things that she would do. She remembered back to what Abraxas had told her, that Astra had a Keyblade. If so, then she was certain they would cross paths eventually. Ironically, out of the two, Astra had been the one grounded in realism. No matter how many times Luna brought up her theory of each star being a world in the sky, Astra would have dismissed it. So for her to end up on another world by means of magic must have come as quite a shock to a girl who was unwilling to believe in it. Not that that had always been the case, there had been a point when her and Astra had shared a common interest in sharing leaving their world and seeing the stars but at some point that had changed. It had been around the time that Astra's grandmother had passed away that notable differences had begun to show themselves in her friend. This had been over two years ago. Luna could even remember the conversation where Astra's optimistic attitude had done a complete 180.

* * *

><p><em>Luna watched through sunglasses as Astra emerged from the ocean waters and walked over to the sandy beach where she was currently lying. Luna brought the glass of lemonade to her mouth and positioned the straw between her lips before sipping.<em>

"_You make the most adorable face when sipping, you know that?" Astra announced as she sat beside Luna._

"_I don't know where that came from but okay." she replied with raised brows. "Did you know the paper drinking straw was patented because previous forms of straw turned to mush when mixed with liquid? Talk about a health hazard huh?"_

"_Oh Lord Sea Salt, please tell me more of your useless trivia." Astra recited poetically causing Luna to puff like a blowfish. _

"_I'm not even eating Sea Salt right now. How would you like it if I nicknamed you tomboy and refused to use your name?" _

_Astra shrugged and replied, "Eh. Can't win against the truth. Oh, and here's some useless trivia about Sea Salt Ice Cream by the way Sea Salt, it does have the tendency to give you diabetes if you eat too much of it." _

"_Oh thanks, I didn't realize that," Luna said sarcastically before adding, "Good thing my mom is a doctor then." _

_Astra laughed before asking, "Have you done your English homework for tomorrow. I… kinda forgot about it."_

"_Of course you did. Yeah, it wasn't exactly hard, kind of boring actually. I wonder when we'll start poetry." Luna said._

"_Poetry? Blech. I mean I didn't exactly mind writing haikus but poetry is horrible. It's amazing how we have to take every single line as being some connotation or something. What, they can't just be literal? Sometimes a cigar is just a cigar." Astra replied._

"_Reading Freud huh? I didn't know you were into that kind of stuff." Luna said._

"_Oh, so that was his name." Astra mumbled only to receive a look of shock on Luna's face. "What?"_

"_You quoted someone and you didn't even know who you were quoting from?" the sunglasses wearing girl asked. _

"_It was just a saying in one of the textbooks. I don't actually know the guy but I'm sure he's a great dude." Astra said. _

"_Oh dear." Luna facepalmed before withdrawing her hand and pointing it up to the sky. "I just want to forget all this and see the stars. The quicker the better." _

"_Luna… I've been thinking lately-"_

"_Oh that's new."_

"_Luna." Upon hearing Astra mention her actual name, Luna put her hand down and looked at Astra attentively like a little puppy. "I don't think there's any point to it anymore."_

"_Any point to what?" _

"_To believe in something greater than what we have here. We've been given so much here already, why risk throwing it away for a hopeless future?" Astra told her. Luna couldn't believe what she was hearing at the moment. Why had her friend, who had defended her ideas and had believed in them just as much as her, become so sour to the possibility?_

"_A hopeless future? What's that supposed to mean? And what do I have here really Astra? I wake up, I go to school, I come back from school, I spend my hours at home or at Kit's bakery then I go to sleep again. That's what a hopeless future is." Luna retorted taking her sunglasses off._

"_Yes, you do that. Just like any of us. Why should we fool ourselves into thinking we're more special than others when we know it's not true? We're only thirteen, who are we to say we won't be provided with more opportunities later on?" _

"_What's wrong Astra? You've been acting strangely for a while now." Luna said. _

"_What's wrong with me? What's wrong with you? You say that you have nothing here. Then what do your parents mean to you? What does Kit mean to you? What do I mean to you?" Astra asked._

"_Of course you are. It's just. My mom told me when I was young to follow my dreams and that one day I wouldn't live with them anymore. It sounded cruel back then but now I know what she meant. This is my choice Astra. I thought you were with me on this. But maybe I was wrong." Luna said before getting up and heading off to the changing room. Even as Astra called to her, she didn't turn back. She didn't want to hear what Astra had to say._

* * *

><p>Once again, a clear audible sigh was let out in relief as her feet came into contact with solid ground and she quickly made to retrieve her Keyblade. In comparison to the time the Keyblade took to reach the ground, Luna would guess that she had spent a minute and a few seconds added of climbing. She rubbed her sweaty hands on her jeans before proceeding onward. Of course the fact that she would have to climb back up later stayed in the front of her mind.<p>

After a series of fights, Luna soon found herself in what appeared to be a rose garden. In the back of the garden was a majestic castle. What immediately caught Luna's attention was that this castle didn't seem to be vacant. Lights shone from within the castle indicating that there was some presence there though Luna knew that was impossible. Wasn't it?

She arrived at the semi-circular veranda of the back of the castle and made her way to the large glass doors. As she got closer she could definitely hear the unmistakable sound of ball music filling the large well-lit room inside. She opened the door and was immediately swept away by a change in atmosphere that made her forget where she even was. She recognized the piece playing as Bach's Orchestral Suite No. 3 D Major, one that had been pounded into her head during her ballet sessions.

What was even more surprising however, were the people in the ballroom dancing to this slow moving piece. She could not see their faces for they were covered by Venetian masks, but they were definitely people, and they were dancing. Luna stood silently and watched with a smile on her lips as one particular couple closer to her danced away with no ostensible worries on their faces. She was so intrigued by this couple that she almost failed to notice a man walking up to her with a smile on his face. When her eyes caught sight of him, she blushed and tried to shrink back hoping that he was merely passing her way but when he stopped in front of her she had to give up such a tactic and instead looked into his eyes.

_I suppose I could have a dance, but I'm hardly dressed for the occasion, _Luna thought. Surely one little dance couldn't hurt. She summoned Dream Seeker away before slowly accepting his hand and was guided towards the floor where he wasted no time in wrapping his gentle arms around her. Anxiously, Luna watched her feet carefully as she danced with this mysterious stranger. He seemed to be taking the initiative making all the right moves and she was probably embarrassing him by acting clumsy. Still, whatever she had been doing before this couldn't have been any better. Everything seemed right, like she was meant to be here all along. She had found her calling and now all that was left was to give into the music.

_It's going to okay as long as I stay here. I have no worries. Everything will be alright. Everything will be… Everything will… Everything? EVERYTHING? _Luna suddenly panicked and threw this 'man' off her, except that it wasn't a man, not anymore. His features had changed entirely, his kind blue eyes now yellow and menacing. Horns grew from its head and its tail waggled left and right on the floor. Most notably was the red sword in its hand. Suddenly she remembered what she was doing and where she was. Suddenly instead of humans surrounding her, there were Heartless of all shapes and sizes jumping back and forth to sinister music.

Luna clutched her head as a sharp pain smashed its way through like a bullet and let out a scream before shaking it off. She didn't have much time to recover as the Orcus that had danced with her flew forward and made a horizontal cut. Luna dropped to the floor to avoid the attack before summoning her Keyblade and blasting the Heartless away from her. She tried to get up from the floor only to have a Nova Shadow spin into her from behind. A painful gasp erupted from Luna's mouth as she felt her back bend and was sent flying forwards into one of the tables. She turned around just in time to see another Orcus flying towards her and rolled out of the way just as it stabbed its sword into the table.

_Have to get out of here. _Against her body's will, Luna reluctantly heaved herself up using the nearby wall as support before making her way along the edge of the room to the door in the back. Waves of Heartless moved in to which her only possible response was countering with Reflect magic. Sparks of light surrounded Luna as a result of the Heartless smacking against the barrier and rebounding.

Eventually she made it to the door and wasted no time in blowing it open with Aeroga before sprinting through. She was now in a long winding corridor with chandeliers on the ceiling throughout acting as her guide. Behind her was a horde of Heartless that had followed her out into the corridor. She turned behind her and sent casts of different elements in no particular direction. Some of the magic hit Heartless successfully while other smacked against paintings or the chandeliers on the ceiling which fell to the ground and took out the Heartless under them anyway.

Soon Luna noticed a door to her left and opposed to just turning into it, she kicked off the wall on the right using it as a boost to dive through the door. She turned and landed on her back before using another Aeroga to the blow the inward doors closed. Finally she pointed the Keyblade's tip at the keyhole of the door watching as the last remains of a beam of light disappeared before she could truly relax.

Luna let out a laugh, it was all she could do to hide her fear and frustration plus she wanted the illusion that she was in control of the situation even if that couldn't have been further from the truth. She lay on the ground like this for several minutes trying to assess what had just happened. Why had she seen people in the place of Heartless in the first place? Why had everything felt so natural to her? Was her Chimera finally coming out now that it had been exposed to the dark realm? The more she thought about it, the more it seemed frighteningly possible and the more she wanted to perish the thought. How long would her body and heart be able to endure this before they gave in to Abraxas' cruel experiment? How long would it be until she started going after Sora, Riku, Kairi and… Astra. She would rather remain here than have them suffer.

She got up however, even if she didn't have to. Sora had not showed her all those worlds and taught her how to use the Keyblade for nothing. He had braved the nightmares and fears of his own heart just to wake her from Abraxas' illusion and she'd be damned if she fell here without saying thank you.

Just then, something caught her eye. It was the large window at the back of the room, or rather what was outside the window. If it really was what she thought it was then in some strange way, fate was also telling her not to give up. Far away from here a tall tower extended upwards into the heavens themselves. She knew it as the Turm des Himmels, and she doubted there were that many towers that were similar to the one she knew. If she really was in Alexander, then she had a chance to make everything right.

* * *

><p><em>Absolutely loved writing this chapter. Even spent the time watching a compilation of Crisis Core cutscenes on youtube while I was working. Next time, we'll be back with Sora and co. and... well, you'll see... <em>


	7. Downpour

_So while Dual Destinies was about building a world and establishing rules, this... will also do that and will be more character focused in general. I'll try to provide a nice balance of action and character development though they're not necessarily mutually exclusive. Just know that Sora's a tiny part of a much grander scheme in this story. Anyway, back to the show! _

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 7<strong>

**Downpour**

Almost lazily, Sora let the rucksack on his back slip down his shoulders and onto the floor waiting for the heavy thud of contact as proof of this. Sitting himself down, he stared at the white linen that coveted the table. On it laid a coaster for beverages and a few napkins folded neatly in a triangle with silver cutlery set on top of them with equal spacing. Around him were others enjoying their meals in delight or waiting for their own.

After a few more seconds of staring into space, Sora's attention turned to the rain that was lightly pattering against the window of the coffee shop. Ever since Sora, Riku and Kairi had returned to Radiant Garden, it had seemed to be to interchanging between on and off. If Sora could have shouted at the rain to make up its mind, he would have done so but nature wasn't quite so willing to listen. Compared to this, being back on the Gummi Ship was a surprisingly calm and enjoyable experience. Well, it certainly didn't rain in the sea between worlds—that much Sora knew though there were stranger things like giant whales in its place.

Sora leaned over the side of the chair and opened his bag before pulling out a book. About a few months ago, the concept of reading something like this would have seemed absurd to Sora. Nowadays, the word didn't seem so alien to him in concept especially after recent events and while the term non-fiction still bored and repulsed him he figured teeny steps were good enough. A part of the fun was seeing his friends react to his newfound interest.

"_The truth hidden within the lies huh? What bunch of nonsense was he spewing?" Sora asked after hearing Frollo's reasoning echoed in the form of Kairi. After leaving Quasimodo's world, the two of them and Riku couldn't help but discuss the city of Atlantis that Frollo had spoken so passionately about._

"_I'm not sure. I don't even know if he knew what he was talking about but I would think that someone who would go so far as to abandon his own world must have some understanding." Kairi replied._

"_Not necessarily. I had very little myself when I wanted to leave the islands. I think it's the fear of not knowing what was out there that drove me. It's probably the same with Frollo." Riku joined in after engaging in the autopilot. _

"_It doesn't matter though right? I mean we're not going to change what we're doing just because of some point brought up by a guy who was totally insane?" Sora asked. _

"_Of course it doesn't change anything. That said, wouldn't it be cool if we really did come across the lost city?" Kairi proposed chirpily. No one in that room could have denied their interest in a discovery like that. The thought of being the pioneers of their age was an attractive one but there were some things that were more important right now. _

_And so the discussion of a lost city and the ramblings of a mad man came to an unsatisfactory end, for Kairi at least who probably had it on her mind throughout the day. Instead, she turned her attention to a more peculiar fact that she could actually see._

"_Hey Sora, what're you up to?"_

_Sora looked up from the book he was engrossed in and smiled. "I'm reading. Have you heard of this book?"_

"_The Name Game? Nope, what's it about?" Kairi asked cocking her head to the side to look at the cover._

"_It's about a young girl who has trouble remembering her name. She wakes up in a town with no name and asks the townsfolk if any of them know her but to no avail. At this point she starts to question whether she even exists because if no one knows her it's just as equivalent as people seeing through her and not noticing her. The book deals with what faces mean to different people and asks the question of whether you have a face if other can't see you or recognise you by it. It's great so far." Sora answered to the surprise of Riku, Kairi and even Kupopo who was in the back of the cockpit._

"_Wow, you are really invested in this kupo. I've never figured Sora would be the one to become so accustomed to reading." Kupopo said._

"_Speaking about customs, the book talks about that too. It talks about what a 'character' is and how people see others. A character is really a conformed protocol that you assign to yourself making you who you are. There's no reason not to expand your horizons though and step out of that character every once in a while. It's healthy." Sora continued in a sagacious manner._

"_Okay, who are you and what have you done to Sora? Are you planning on a career change to philosopher Mr Keyblade Master?" Kairi asked. _

_Sora laughed and shook his head. "Hah, not likely. The librarian recommended it to me and what she said about the book just stuck with me. Let's just say that I guess ever since the fight with Abraxas I've felt like I need to step up my game and become stronger. That and… Luna liked books a lot. It's kind of my way of making her happy, even if she doesn't know it yet."_

"_That's really sweet. Okay, now you've got me pumped. I have to outdo you and make her even happier when we get her back." Kairi announced with a triumphant fist._

If something like reading could motivate them so much then that could only have meant good things for the future. Before Sora could even flip the page, he found himself looking past the book into the eyes of a woman who was standing at his table. She reminded Sora of a cosplayer, one of the gothic makeup wearing maids that were sometimes featured in some of the manga that Tidus had recommended him. Her pale complexion seemed to glow in contrast to the light because of this.

"Bonjour, how may I take your order?" the girl asked with a pleasant and broad smile. She even had a faint accent that made Sora wonder if he had stepped back into Quasimodo's world again on accident.

"Oh, I-"

"Oh my goodness, you are the Sora no? One of the Keyblade wielders who saved our world?" she asked in surprise.

"That's what they call me." Sora replied unenthusiastically as his fingers found their way to the menu. "I'd rather you just keep that between you and me though."

"Understood. I apologize for my eagerness. So, what will it be?" she asked in a cutesy manner.

"Oh, a cappuccino would be great thanks." Sora picked returning back to his cheerful self. The woman bowed and excused herself before making her way to the back behind the counter. Sora looked around him before returning to the book. He had some time before his old friends Terra, Ven and Aqua would be arriving so he had thought to go exploring. Sora had found himself doing a lot of that these days, not that he could ever say he had planned it on the day or even the day before. His legs usually carried him to wherever he needed to be at the time, not necessarily where he wanted to go and usually that was fine with him. He was just a follow wherever the wind takes him person anyway and so it had come to be that he had stumbled upon this café without even having planned to come here.

"Here you go. One cappuccino for you. I even poured my heart into it, see?" Sora put the book down as the woman returned with the drink. Sora laughed as he peered into the white foam to see a heart shaped pattern on the surface.

"Latte art… you sure must know your way around coffee." Sora complimented before taking the hot cup into his hands and sipping lightly. The foam and cream tickled Sora's taste buds and stayed there for a while before slipping down his throat. Sora put the cup down and gave the cosplay maid and thumbs up with a supporting grin. "Okay, now I know where to go when I need some coffee. You're working miracles here."

"Why merci beaucoup. I'm glad you enjoy it." The girl said. At this point, she stood at the table apparently waiting for something and Sora had no idea what that was. Sora was looking for something, anything, to strike a conversation. Eventually he timidly tried to refer to the book he was reading with unexpected results.

"Uh, have you-"

"Tomorrow at six."

"Wait, what?"

"That's when I'll be free."

Sora could only nod with a mouth halfway between a smile and puzzlement. He wasn't exactly sure what was going on but something seemed to be happening and it was better than the awkward nothingness that could have been the alternative. It was only after the girl had retreated behind the counter that Sora had realized what type of unwritten contract he had gotten himself into. Was he even equipped for a date with someone he had just met? How had he even gotten into it? He had only wanted to talk to her about a book. The worst part though was that he knew next to nothing about dates. Maybe he could consult Kairi on that later, not that he was sure she had ever been on one but she was a girl so she must have had some idea as to what other females liked.

Sora withdrew from these thoughts wanting nothing more than to get back to his drink, although he did his best to avoid eye contact with the maid from there on out. Before he knew it, Sora had downed his entire cup of coffee and placed the book back into his bag, put the munny on the table and quickly left the café to prevent the visible heat of his cheeks from being seen by anyone, least of all the maid.

Wet and miserable yet hopeful, was what Sora could only describe as he stepped out into the puddled streets opposing its blue sky counterpart. He set off towards Merlin's house while observing other people going by. Everyone had somewhere to be, and grounded in this world that only made sense. They didn't have the matters of worlds beside Radiant Garden on their mind, they weren't given a mysterious puzzle box to which its secrets remained unknown nor were they constantly fighting Heartless and saving worlds in their everyday life. Sora wished he could live in such a simple life, where there was only the straight line of A to B instead of a zigzag in between the two.

He almost had such a life as well. After beating Xemnas, Sora had returned to the islands hoping that he could live in peace with his two friends by his side, without any jealous or petty issues that had been the result of their journey in the first place. But the threat of Xehanort had not been over and there were people that were trapped in a cage of torment. Fair enough, they went out knowing they were needed and saved the day once again. This time there was no choice. Abraxas had destroyed Sora's island, Sora had met Luna, Sora had travelled with her to find her world and Sora had failed to save her and the last seeress, Yeul. The worst part was that he had still not made the jump from A to B but instead jumping to points that made no sense. He felt like he had absolutely no control over his own life at the moment and he had no idea when he would be able to get a good night's sleep without any worries.

Sora turned and took a shortcut through the soggy grass taking amusement in the spongy and moist sounds made from beneath his shoes until he returned to hard ground. The dreams were also something to contemplate, having not received any consolation from them either. In each dream he saw himself just watching as Yeul fell before him like he was forced to repeat the same day over and over again. The last dream however had been different. The same scene had played out exactly as it had done before but instead of seeing Yeul, it was Luna in her place, and as if by some strange out of body experience, he saw that it was himself that had plunged the Keyblade into her back. Sora had refused to go back to sleep for fear of dreaming again.

He soon reached the street that led to the residential district, but instead of going directly to Merlin's house, he changed his mind and found himself heading towards another that he hadn't been to in a while. It was a few more streets away from where Merlin's was but his quick pacing practically got him there in no time at all.

"Sora, you've come back. Did you find her?" Colette asked once she had opened the door upon hearing him knock. The answer was pretty obvious though because if he had found her then he wouldn't have come alone.

"I'm sorry." Sora said, not wanting to fully admit that he had no idea where to start.

"What for? I know you're trying your hardest and that's all that matters. Come in." Colette said in understanding. As far as Sora knew, that was all Colette ever had been: understanding. Or maybe she couldn't be anything else, not after her husband had died. In some ways Sora almost wanted to be criticised by her for not trying harder, because he felt like he wasn't.

"Where's Stephanie?" Sora asked looking around the comfy living room.

"School of course. She has to study you know?" Colette reminded him.

"Nah, she's a clever kid. Probably smarter than most of the people in her class. She doesn't need to study." Sora said jokingly.

"My daughter a prodigy. I like the sound of that." Colette replied. When offered a cup, Sora politely declined and pointed towards a photograph on the table.

"Is that Ansem the Wise?" he asked. The man in the photo scarcely resembled the Ansem he knew, fostering a more youthful appearance.

"Yes, and there's me and my husband Kohle right next to him. Here I was still studying for biomedical science and Stephanie wasn't born yet. So for my thesis I had decided to take on work experience at Ansem's lab. This was before he had become more secretive regarding his research. That's where I met Kohle." Colette explained sitting down next to Sora and taking the photograph into her hands.

"So what was he like when you met him?" Sora asked.

"He was the argumentative yet passionate type. The way it usually went was that we sat down sometimes to explain our theories on the workings of the heart and Gummi blocks though the latter isn't really my field. He absolutely believed that his own theories made sense as to their origin but I wasn't so sure and I still don't think so to this day if we're honest but I never bothered arguing the point too much. People like him are so set on their own beliefs that they'll fight for them, even if they are wrong." Colette continued with a thoughtful look on her face. "This may sound silly, but I don't quite know how I ended up with him. I suppose one thing led to another leading to Stephanie."

"That sounds familiar." Sora then added quickly, "N-not the having a baby part but the not knowing how you ended up in a situation part."

"Yeah, I was like 'what, you've gotten that far already? How old are you again?'" Colette quipped and the two let out a fit of laughs into what was probably once a quiet room. Soon enough, the inevitable question that Sora had expected would be knocking on his door and it wasn't a question of choosing whether to open it or not but how he was going to go about it. "So, how have you been since that day?"

"I don't know. I thought I had everything in control but I feel like I'm still in Abraxas' mind games. Sometimes I just want this all to be an illusion so I'll wake up and everything will be alright but I know that I'm living in reality." Sora bent forward and clasped his hands together before asking, "Do you have sleeping pills?"

Colette frowned upon hearing this. "Why do you ask?"

"Because I have nightmares, of the night Yeul died. I keep seeing it, that one moment where I couldn't do anything. I know there's no point thinking about it, she's gone and there's nothing I can do… but still, I can't stop feeling this guilt that's buried within my heart. It's like a ticking bomb and I feel like I'm going to explode any moment except I have no idea when that time will be." Sora told her in an almost whisper. "Riku and Kairi just tell me the same thing. 'You need to get over it Sora. There was nothing you could do. Yeul wouldn't want you to be despairing over her like this'. But they don't understand what it's like to see a friend die right in front of your eyes. That's why I don't feel like there's any point in telling them."

"I'm not your doctor Sora but even if I were I wouldn't recommend you sleeping pills. This may be tough to here but this is a problem you're going to have to face on your own. I would know because I've suffered something similar before in the past." Colette said.

"Oh, with Stephanie's dad… it must have been painful." Sora said.

"It wasn't easy. It never is but all I can tell you is to concentrate on looking for Luna for now. Usually I find that being preoccupied with the little things usually takes my mind off of the big ones. You have both Riku and Kairi and are free to choose how you spend your time with them." Colette advised with a smile.

"Yeah… I'll try that." Sora said before coughing. He must have been starting to develop a cold probably from the weather. "What about you then?"

"Oh, I almost forgot. I've finally found a job to help support Steph. I met with the man heading the company, David Xanatos… well it was more like he met me really. We discussed a few things and after hearing my plight and finding out that I studied biomed, he insisted that I take a job in the health department." Colette announced.

"See? I knew you'd get something eventually. Way to go! How did Stephanie react when you told her?" Sora asked now as gleeful as an energetic child.

"In much the same way you did, and she's only nine." Colette pointed out.

"I'm known for it." Sora justified adding the cherry on top with a cheeky grin.

* * *

><p>Sora returned immediately to Merlin's place after a cheerful conversation with Colette to welcoming old faces.<p>

"Ven! Terra! Aqua!"

"Well if it isn't the early bird." Kairi's patronizing tone caught Sora off guard and he turned to apologize.

"Don't worry about it, but boy do you look paler than usual Sora. Like you've seen a ghost." Terra said with a chuckle.

"Maybe I did see one." Sora responded in much the same tone. It had felt like it had been forever since he laid his eyes on the trio he had helped save many moons ago. They had all been affected in one way or another by the wounds of the past and while it was he that had played a part in their awakening, it had ultimately been by their hands that they had departed from their sleep.

The first thing the group had done after the final battle was the reparation of the Land of Departure, formally known as Castle Oblivion to Sora and the others. Even though they had sought its repair, they never truly stayed there but instead used it as a memorial for their deceased Master Eraqus. If one were to go there now, they would find a white pillar with a Keyblade lying on the ground next to it. Instead of this however, they had managed to pick up the pieces and had found themselves on a long vacation to see the world much in the same way Roxas, Xion and Lea were doing.

But like Sora, the three friends had been called back to action by Master Yen Sid who had been adamant about mobilizing everyone to combat the current threat, that being Alice who was found to be missing. Yen Sid had already explained that if even one Princess of Heart fell then the worlds would all fall into darkness, for it was the gift of light bestowed on the chosen seven in the past that had been responsible for saving the world from the darkness brought on by the Keyblade War. Apparently there were no second chances if a princess was lost but Yen Sid had not clarified when Sora had asked the question.

It was something that bugged him actually—that he had tried to set a personal goal of becoming more independent and knowledgeable of the worlds and yet he sometimes felt like he had no idea why he was fighting. Obviously Alice was his friend, and obviously Yen Sid felt that was enough of a reason for Sora to do it. No other explanation was needed, or in other words, the less he knew the easier he could do his job.

"I take it you didn't find anything then?" Sora asked the question that Riku and Kairi probably had asked before.

"No, but Riku just informed us that another Keyblade wielder appeared here… and she was asking for Luna?" Aqua tried to confirm.

"Apparently. She even fought Leon but she disappeared before we arrived here." Sora said before reciting Leon's story. "She said her name was Astra. That was the name of Luna's friend."

"Could it be a coincidence?" Ven asked but Riku shook his head.

"She has a Keyblade, I wouldn't consider that a coincidence. She even asked about her according to Leon." he answered before turning to Sora. "Luna didn't tell you anything about her, did she?"

Sora bit his lip thoughtfully. "I… think she mentioned something about Astra being her only friend. She also had a dream where she was here and was being chased by something, a rhinoceros I think. At that point she was with her friend in the dream." He then quickly looked up and his face seemed to be filled with a positive energy known only to Sora. "She's looking for Luna as well just like us. Maybe she's found out some information that can lead us to her. We need to find her!"

"Big problem." The voice of positivity was immediately opposed by the voice of negativity as Leon stepped into the room. "When Astra was fighting me, she seemed skilled. Unless she somehow taught herself then someone definitely taught her how to use the Keyblade."

"She even managed to beat Squall." Rinoa said coming in from behind.

"SHE DIDN'T BEAT ME!" Leon shot back in complete embarrassment.

'"Aw Leon, you're blushing again', is what Aerith would say if she were here right now." Kairi said grinning.

"Anyway… I just had a thought. You don't think that she encountered the same group who's after Sora, do you?" Riku asked. Sora hadn't even thought about it and from a similar look of surprise neither had the other six people in the room. He remembered back to the moment Abraxas had been killed when Alfonso and Salome had revealed themselves as being Keyblade wielders. It was a moment in time that felt like an anomaly, like it shouldn't have existed and yet it did. He had felt his heart beat so rapidly that he wasn't even sure it had fully settled yet. His thoughts regarding it certainly weren't and were all over the place. Had they chosen to kill him then and there, he would have been powerless and unable to act.

"Let's… try to stay positive alright. This is a big chance for us. We can't doubt this now." Sora eventually said though it was clear the doubt had already been securely placed. No, if they were working with the same goal in mind then it was possible that Astra would work with them for that alone. He had to stay positive. And a friend of Luna's couldn't possibly be that bad, right?

"Yeah, you're right." Kairi muttered before changing topic. "Aren't Roxas, Xion and Lea also supposed to be coming soon? We have to hold a party!"

"That'll be the wedding… after we get Luna back that is." Rinoa said resting her arm over Leon's shoulder. "Chip, Dale and Cid have already finished with the latest in Gummi Navigation technology, thanks to Xanatos Industries' help."

When Riku rolled his eyes, Sora managed to stifle a laugh. Riku had never really been trusting of David Xanatos since he met the man. As to what Sora thought, he really had no opinion of the man as of yet. It's not that he didn't trust Riku's instincts but he also couldn't deny that he had provided considerable help to the flourishing world.

And why was Sora beginning to feel so hot? Was a fever coming on that quickly? His eyes suddenly found humans in the shape of blurs and he struggled to focus on them. It was his swaying on the spot that was noted by everyone who asked worriedly if he was okay.

"Yeah, just a bit dizzy is all. I think I'm coming up with a cold. I'll just- I'll just- I'll…" Sora let out a multitude of coughs. Before he could place his hands to his mouth, he noticed blood on them… his own… blood? He turned around with the world seeming to turn with him and he stumbled forward hoping to get away as far as possible from his friends. He didn't know what was happening, he couldn't decipher voice from voice calling after him.

He was falling. It was a feeling he had felt before many times. When he sacrificed himself to save Kairi. When he had fallen into the river in Mulan's world eight months ago. In his dreams… Quickly, or was it slowly? He felt as if the speed at which his brain was able to process had slowed down exponentially… whatever speed it may have been, he looked to grab the closest thing to him in hopes of staying up. His hands found a wooden object, a table maybe? But then they found air… and then they hit the floor along with the rest of his immobilized body. All he could do now was look at the broken table he had just crashed through and watch as he was turned onto his back to meet the light, and shadows within the light… and then those shadows became darkness.

* * *

><p>...<p> 


	8. On Clipped Wings

_Wanted to get this chapter out earlier but complications regarding studies arose so finally I was able to work on it a few days ago. Now where were we? Or yes, Sora died last chapter... right?_

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 8<strong>

**On Clipped Wings**

The more Luna traversed through the Realm of Darkness the more she realized how little she knew of her world. In a way it could hardly have even been called her world. Firstly she had no right to call this world hers when she had sought to abandon it for so long resulting in the fiery inferno of its destruction. Secondly, it would have been better to say that anything which had previously had meaning was meaningless in this world. The rose garden she had been in when she had first come here a few hours ago was devoid of name, the ballroom she had danced in was a complete fallacy, the decayed and worn out buildings lacked any meaning beyond lacking the meaning they had in the past.

But Luna could fill in the blanks in the page more so than she could any other dilapidated world she had been to in this place. Her memory served as a color palette, filling in the beauty and with it the memory of the key buildings—the concert house with its magnificent lights filling the night sky; the river shining and reflecting the artificial city lights; the ice cream parlor with its introduction of several different flavors at the door including her favorite… Yes, it felt strange to say that she was an artist in the Realm of Darkness but it also made her feel more autonomous of its influences.

Luna held her Keyblade out in front of her and watched as it illuminated the surrounding area in an instant. Its intensity was such that it caused her to close her eyes for a second. When she opened them, she held it above her like a torch and waved it about to examine the area. The Keyblade had somehow guided her to this spot where she assumed the keyhole was hiding however it had taken her to a dead end.

It took a while for her to notice a hole in the wall next to her feet. Though she would never admit this up front, she praised her small petite frame for allowing her to squeeze through the hole easily. The hole soon became a tunnel that seemed to go on for quite a ways. Halfway through the insides of the tunnel walls became metallic adding comfort in what had been a claustrophobic environment with seemingly no end. She guessed that the metal probably was going to take her into the interior of a building.

Her guess was soon proved correct as she landed on familiar floors. She wanted to retreat back into the hole immediately upon seeing tables with scientific apparatus on them. Microscopes, flasks and beakers lined the shelves while wires were free and strewn across the floor. Experimental pods and glass containers attached themselves from ceiling to floor among various other pieces of equipment that she didn't recognize in the room.

She knew the room all too well though. Twice had she been here, one on an extended period of time unwillingly and the other much shorter and voluntarily. It was the room she had been in with Sora, Donald and Goofy where they had learned of the process Abraxas had used to convert normal people into Chimeras. It was also the room in which she had been experimented on.

Her body seemed heavy all of a sudden and she found that she was moving sideways as opposed to regularly. She did her best to avoid touching most of the things in the room though her eyes were much more unfortunate and came across the test pod she had been kept in several times. Luna tried her best to focus on her own thoughts instead of what was in front of her. The castle which Maleficent had occupied must have also been the same place Abraxas had taken her to when he had kidnapped her. If so, had Abraxas and Maleficent already been in cahoots when Luna had been experimented on? Well, it wasn't as if it mattered now. Maleficent was gone and she assumed that Sora had taken care of Abraxas. The more important question was about this tower's identity.

Eventually Luna left the room and walked down the long room with prison doors acting as her guide towards the stairs at the other end. Luna examined each room through its bars as she walked only to find the Chimeras that had been in there now missing. She supposed they had managed to escape and were in the realm of light, or had they fallen into the darkness along with this world and if so, what form had they taken?

Luna reached the first floor but instead of continuing up she decided to take the door and go outside. She took five steps and then turned around to look upwards at the tower. This confirmed her suspicions that the tower Maleficent had been in was the same as the Turm des Himmels tower except that the building's exterior looked completely different from Maleficent's makeover. Luna had never been inside the tower because it had mainly been used for administrative purposes—at least that was what she had thought up until now. She had been there before, locked away as test subject under Abraxas' hands.

"They had a laboratory hidden under the tower? And those rooms that looked like prison cells. Did Abraxas put them there or… were they already there?" Luna questioned. Surely Abraxas must have picked the tower for a reason and if he had known beforehand about the basement level then it would have been easy for him to conduct his experiments. She had too many questions floating around in her mind that it would be pointless to stay staring at the tower in stupefaction. She dreaded to go back in but if the keyhole was there then she had no choice.

As she went up floor by floor she was reminded of the painful memories that had affected not just her but Sora, Namine and Yeul as well. She stopped at the floor where she had fought Kuja and took in the room as if the damage left from the fight was still there. She supposed the various rooms that were in each corridor on each floor led to office rooms though the amount of Heartless patrolling these corridors had made her reluctant to investigate any of them thoroughly. She trusted the Keyblade to take her to wherever she needed to go instead.

A few Heartless that blocked her way to the top floor were disposed of, granting her access to a penthouse view with glass windows overseeing the city, or what would have been the city anyway. She could only imagine the view at night in the actual city. Instead with no power, the room was as dark and lonely as anywhere else in the realm. Not wanting to stay in this twisted version of a world she once knew any longer, Luna began to search for her objective, moving from inside the apartment to the balcony outside.

"Let's see…keyhole…keyhole…I spy with my little eye something beginning with…KEYHOLE!" Luna exclaimed upon finding it. It was directly above the door at first taking the shape of a heart only to soon take the form of a keyhole when the Dream Seeker was pointed at it. To Luna it was strange to think that her world came to exist simply because of one small keyhole and that at the end of it lied the heart of the world itself. She had been the one to put that balance in jeopardy and now it was time she did something about that.

But as usual the forces of darkness worked quickly to prevent that from happening. Before the Keyblade could work its magic she caught a quick glance of something that had crept into the room inside. Luna ran back in to confront the Heartless.

Another Darkside.

She had seen them too many times to count. The first time she had fought one of them she had been intimidated by its size. She had soon quickly learned not to get hit by them. With their threatening size came their earth crushing fists, with Luna having experienced the ground shake underneath her feet several times after avoiding their pummels. Of course what they had in size and power they lacked in speed, something Luna had learned to take advantage of not just for them but all the Heartless.

Glass from the door that she had just come through shattered from the impact of the Heartless' punch. Luna had jumped out of the way from this attack but she had failed to see the table she had backed into causing her to trip. She fell through the table, not because it had broken but because it was, like all other things in the realm immaterial and so was nothing but memory of what once was. So the sound of the shattered glass and its falling shards on the floor were also things that weren't real.

Luna stood up clumsily and allowed herself some time to recover before unleashing a flurry of Fission Firaga which exploded upon contact with its head. The Darkside raised its hand to block the rest of the attacks. From what Luna could tell, the arm was fully proofed against any attack so the only damage she was going to be able to inflict would have to come from the head or the hands.

She jumped back and held her Keyblade up releasing Chasing Thunder, an attack that unleashed a wave of lightning bolts that homed in on the Darkside targeting the top of its head with pinpoint accuracy.

The Darkside stumbled backwards but quickly recovered and sent him arm tunnelling downwards at Luna. She jumped out of the way in time and jumped onto its hand using it as a bridge to run up to the Heartless' head. Reaching the shoulder she kicked off its hardened body and cut through the head. The Darkside's physical form soon became nothing more than scattered dust that diffused throughout the room. Eventually these black particles soon too dissolved leaving Luna by her lonesome once more.

She clutched at her right arm feeling it ache from the fighting she had to do. She wasn't complaining, after all it would be useless to do so now but there was hardly ever any time to recover either. Instead she focused her attention on sealing the keyhole that was outside. Before she did so, she took one last view of the world around her. The Turm des Himmels, the Tower of Heaven, they had called it. From where she was standing she was in anything but. Never had she been so high up before to see what had been her home. No, that wasn't exactly true. She had been as high up as this tower in her dreams, floating in the infinite darkness of the night sky and inspecting the shining city with eagle eyes. But if she was an eagle then she had no wings with which to escape this prison and no matter how much she wished to become an artist or dreamer and fill in the gaps that should have been there, she couldn't. An artist required tools to paint with and a dreamer required vision in order to see beauty, but what beauty of any kind could be found here?

Luna soon resigned to the fact that she could not call this place her Alexander anymore, and with the sealing of the keyhole she decided it was time to let go.

* * *

><p>Sora awoke to the sounds of hushed voices somewhere near him. He continuously stared at the fan on the ceiling above him watching as it rotated. As much as he wanted to move his head or any part of his body for that matter, his body refused to move as it once did, resulting only in slight contractions and relaxations of certain muscles such as his fingers and toes.<p>

It came to him that maybe he shouldn't be trying to focus on moving his body all at once but rather one part at a time. He concentrated on his fingers and willed them to move one by one. When what he saw as requirements were fully satisfied he started working on his wrists. Slow wrist rotations seemed to be all he could do for if he tried it any other way, his wrists seemed not to respond. After finding out more limitations of his body, he gave up and looked back up at the ceiling.

"Guess I'll be missing my date." Sora managed to say with some difficulty. His words, however quiet they may have been had not been lost on the other two people in the room.

"Sora!" Kairi said running forward and giving him a hug that was very much appreciated by the receiver but wasn't really needed at the moment. Sora felt wet pellets hit his face from Kairi's own as she cried over him and he couldn't help but think that it was his fault that she was crying in the first place.

"Let him breathe Kairi. He's just woken up and is probably confused." Riku said. "And just what exactly did you mean by date?"

"Oh nothing. So how long was I out?" Sora asked trying to smile only to find it incredibly painful to do so. He wanted to use as little words as possible to spare what was left of his hoarse voice.

"A week."

"A WEEK? I-" Sora suddenly interrupted himself as he felt a sharp pain in his chest and was forced to cough.

"Hey there, take it easy. You were poisoned. Thankfully we had Master Yen Sid and Porom there to help extract it before it was too late. Because of that you fell into a coma. Oh, thank goodness it wasn't any longer than a week. Not even Yen Sid knew when you would awake." Kairi explained with clear relief on her face.

"I must have looked like sleeping beauty… except male of course." Sora said weakly. He remembered hearing from Aurora about the time she had fallen into a deep sleep due to Maleficent's curse. "Wait, did you say poison?"

"Yes. From what we gathered it was a slow-acting one. If you have any ideas like maybe something you ate or drank…"

"Drank? Yeah, I think I have an idea. I guess that date is definitely cancelled then." Sora murmured.

"Uh Sora, is there something you're not telling us?" Kairi asked with an accusing stare.

Sora nodded slowly and began his hypothesis. "Well, there was a woman at a café downtown. Dressed up like one of those gothic characters from Tidus' manga. I order coffee, she brings me it. Little do I know that it's laced with poison. Sounds good?"

"The coffee. That definitely sounds possible… did the woman tell you her name?" Riku asked. He nodded before questioning Sora again. "Can you tell us where the café is then?"

"It's near the library. Let me come with-" As Sora tried to force himself up, an intense force seemed to be pushing him back down at the same time pulling him into a stalemate where he wanted to move but his body wouldn't allow him.

"You need to rest Sora. You'll be feeling this way for a while so try to get some rest, doctor's orders. We'll check out the café." Kairi said putting a soft hand on his shoulder. If Sora could have taken it into his own and feel the reassuring warmth it accompanied, he would have.

"Here I am confined to my own death bed. I suppose 16 isn't a bad age to go out." Sora said with a chuckle. To his surprise, Riku's next words had sent him into a phase of bewilderment.

"Glad to know one of us is so cheerful at the moment." he said. No, it wasn't the words themselves, but the context they had been said in for depending on that Riku's words could have either been interpreted as mild sarcasm or annoyance. In this case it was the latter.

"I'm just making light of a serious situation. I can't do that?" Sora questioned with a raised brow.

"You were almost killed and I can guarantee that it was that Moira's Crescent group who were behind it." Riku rebutted with a grave look on his face much unlike anything Sora had ever seen from his friend. Moira's Crescent… that was the name they had come to be known as amongst their peers. While looking for information, Aerith had come across the name in a logging book in the library. The name had seemed unlike the others in the book and Yen Sid was the one to confirm it. The name had matched up with a matching name he had heard over ten years ago for an order of Keyblade Knights who had deserted their worlds to form a union. So Salome and Alfonso had left a parting gift for the group to go on, but the question was why such a weird name as Moira's Crescent? It didn't exactly sound threatening though that may not have been the intention… and over a decade? The more Sora thought about it, the less it made sense as always. Riku continued, "What would have happened if you hadn't been with us at the time?"

"Well I was so what's your point?" Sora wanted to shout out but it only ended in that hoarse tone that he was still not quite used to.

"I don't think you understand what situation you're in. This isn't where you use levity as a means of diffusing tense situations and as much as I'd like to think this never happened I can't let it go so easily." Riku said. Not wanting to deal with this right now, Sora shook his head in disbelief before looking back up at the ceiling.

"Please stop fighting you two. Riku, we just need to go to that café and investigate." Kairi urged. "Don't worry Sora, we'll be back soon. Oh, and some friends are waiting outside. I'll tell them you're awake." Sora looked back at her and smiled. She lifted her hand from his shoulder and turned to leave.

Riku watched as she exited the room before looking back. "I really am glad that you're alright." There was no anger behind his words anymore but the concern was still there both in voice and face. He soon left too leaving Sora to ponder on things before the next set of visitors came.

So that woman had been a member of Moira's Crescent all along, or maybe she had even been someone from Kefka's side, or was it an entirely different person all together? Riku seemed to think it was the first one and if that was true then that meant that she also had a Keyblade. They had done that twice now… just like Salome and Alfonso, she had played on the tactic of deception pretending to be a regular citizen of the world just to keep her eye on him. _How did the saying go? Fool me once, shame on you…_ Sora was distracted from his thoughts as a knock came followed by a group of familiar faces.

The first into the room was Donald erupting in a fit of squawks as he ran up to Sora's bed. Goofy ran into the room soon after and threw himself onto Sora in worry. "Goofy, please…" Sora wheezed thinking his diaphragm was about to be crushed at any moment.

"Get offa him ya big palooka." Donald said dragging Goofy away by the collar leaving him on the floor next to the third person in the room.

"Naminé." Sora uttered her name. The splitting image of Kairi and yet different in so many ways, she had been granted independence from her Nobody but was still the shy girl he had first met back in Castle Oblivion, or as Sora sometimes liked to imagine, back on the islands where he had met her in his fake memories.

It was for a moment, but it had been enough for Sora to feel a jolt of fear and a shiver down his spine. It was impossible of course, and Sora had to really wonder if he was going insane. After all, the person who was standing before him could not have been Yeul. It was Namine… and yet he had thought he had seen her in Namine's place for that brief flash.

"I'm so glad you're okay. I can't even begin to imagine what was must be going through your mind right now. I…" Namine began but stopped and looked away hesitantly. Sora wondered what she was about to say but seeing the King of Disney Castle by the doorway made his attention shift to him.

"Heya pal, how're ya copin'?" Mickey Mouse asked making his way to Sora's bedside.

"It could be better. Golden draped curtains, a glass of lemonade, maybe being able to actually move… all those would be nice but I'll take the cards I'm dealt." Sora answered.

"Yup, we've definitely got our Sora back!" Goofy exclaimed jovially, maybe a little too much because the next thing he knew Goofy was back on him and Donald had to tear him off again.

The next visitor was a most unexpected surprise. Sora had not even talked to David Xanatos in a while so to see him by his door raised both eyebrows.

"It's fortunate that your friends were near you when it happened. I'm sure you must be wondering where you are," he started with a relieved smile on his face. "You're currently residing in one of our investments in this town. A special ICU facility for dealing with cases like yours where a patient reaches critical conditioning. They're taken here where for the duration of their stay they are monitored extensively. Even after Yen Sid and Porom had successfully managed to extract the poison from your body, the doctors and chemists here were responsible for making sure you stayed in a stable condition."

"Thank you. Still, it's surprising to believe that little Porom could do something as big as that. I really have to thank her when I see her," Sora said slightly saddened that she wasn't here to see him awaken. "Do you know someone named Colette? She said you offered her a job."

"Yes. She's in a different facility but after hearing what happened to you, she insisted that she be one of the people who looked after you. She's a bright hope in a world so full of uncertainty, I'm sure you've noticed that too." Xanatos told him.

"Yeah, her and Stephanie. Uh, Stephanie wasn't here, was she?"

"Don't worry. Colette didn't want her to see you like this." Namine answered.

"You make it sound as if it's a bad thing," Sora replied. "On one hand I feel stronger than ever. I've been thinking, wouldn't life be simple if you could just tell who was lying to you at a glance? If that happened then you wouldn't need to doubt because that requires you not knowing whether the person is lying to you or not. Believing in people you should doubt, doubting in people you should believe. This sucks…" Sora muttered faintly and let out a soft chuckle as he let his head sink back onto the pillow, his self-pitying smile contrasting with the worried faces of the room. His eyes shifted to the window next to his bed where the most unusual bird lay perched. It was a beautiful green, and Sora only had a few seconds to stare at it before it took off.

* * *

><p>Riku followed Kairi in an absentminded state for the eleven minutes it took to reach the café Sora had mentioned. Kairi, probably aware of Riku's tendency to overthink things, had uttered nary a sound during this time apart from the occasional one or two comments of relief over Sora's good luck. Luck was the problem in Riku's eyes. To rely on something as questionable and unreliable as luck was not usually a good thing and the alternate scenarios that could have taken place were not ones Riku wanted to think about.<p>

A fear settled in the pits of Riku's stomach that he shouldn't have had to carry because it didn't feel like he was carrying it for him, but rather for his friend. The smile Riku had seen on Sora's face and his simple ability to make light out of complexities. If this had been any other time, Riku would have agreed. What Sora didn't seem to understand or at least take seriously was the fact that he had almost died and his friends had almost lost him.

Maybe time needed to pass before it fully kicked in, after all he just woken up after a week and was still trying to figure things out. Maybe that was the best way Sora could deal with the situation internally. The past week had been one of the most stressing for Riku so it was possible that he himself was still coming off an emotional distress.

He decided to pose a question to Kairi. "Am I right to be worrying over this the way I am? I feel like I'm burdening for two where I shouldn't have to."

"You care about Sora, that's what friends do. But, Sora never has been one to reveal his thoughts to everyone just like that. What he says isn't always entirely what he's thinking. You must have noticed it since you're the same." Kairi answered.

"I didn't know you were our psychologist." Riku said with a smirk before continuing, "I guess it must come as obvious to you. We all have thing we'd rather keep inside, I understand that. It's just that sometimes those are thoughts that are the most dangerous. It's not just here either. He's been reckless ever since we lost Luna. Sometimes I get the feeling that-"

"That what?" Kairi interjected abruptly in annoyance. "That he doesn't care? Riku, he lost someone dear to him who he promised he would protect. He saw her fall and he doesn't even know if she's alive. Things like that don't go without some sort of scar."

"But you pick up the pieces and realize that being impatient is not going to help things go by any quicker. Now that we've got this Moira's Crescent group on our tail we have to be more careful than ever. I don't like any of this one bit." Riku said. Their conversation was short as they entered through the double café doors. A circulation of cold air took hold of Riku as he located the source of this current to be coming from the air conditioning unit on one of the walls high enough to the point where it couldn't be reached.

Riku led the way to the counter where they encountered a boy probably in his late teens who was behind the cash register. The casual line of 'How may I take your order?' was soon to become an interrogation.

"Is there a woman working here who has a… how do I put this… an unusual fashion sense such as dressing up in gothic clothes?" he initiated ignoring the member of staff's question.

"We did have someone like that. She was working here for a while until as of about five days ago when she left. I'm not sure I understand why you want to know about her though." The man recalled with a face the color of a cherry.

_Is he… blushing about something? Do I even want to know? _Riku frowned and shook off these thoughts before asking the attendant about the woman's name.

"I want to know why you're so interested in her in the first place. I don't have to give you her name if I don't have to." He replied in a manner most highly suspicious. He had seemed very defensive for no reason whatsoever.

Riku shook his head and slammed his hand onto the table causing a loud enough ruckus for anyone nearby to hear it. "That isn't how this works. I ask the questions, you give me answers. Now what is her name?"

"Riku? Riku… I think it would be better if you just let me handle this?" Kairi suggested. Riku nodded feeling that he had overstepped his boundaries and eased away from the counter muttering an apology under his breath.

"Now you have to understand. Our friend was poisoned and we think it was because that girl put poison in his coffee. No, actually we _definitely_ know she put poison in his coffee." Kairi said.

"What? Delcia would never- OH CRAP!"

"And that's how you score a home run Riku. You may want to try taking your own advice sometime. You know, about being patient." Kairi stated in a posh voice.

"But how were you so sure that he would say it?" Riku asked in disbelief. Surely it couldn't have been that easy.

"The way he was talking, seems like our boy has a little crush on Miss Delcia, wouldn't you think?" Kairi asked.

Riku could admit that the possibility hadn't entered his head in the first place. _Trust Kairi to be more attentive on matters like this, _Riku thought giving a sign of admittance with a nod before turning back to the man.

"Right, so… um, Delcia, was it? You've completely thrown me of my rhythm you know that?" he mentioned in jest to Kairi who stuck her tongue out as a response. "Did she mention where she was going by any chance?"

"She's a one of a kind, I'll tell you that much. She had such a mysterious smile and-"

"Yeah, th- that's really great and all but please, it would really help us if you could try to remember if she told you where she was going." Riku said trying to remain calm as Kairi had suggested.

"No actually. She just left without saying a word. But my Delcia wouldn't do something as vile as poisoning someone. There's just no way!" The assistant clamored frantically.

_My Delcia? Just what is this guy on? _Riku cringed and exchanged brief glances with Kairi before stating what both of them were thinking. "Aaaaaaaand he's losing it. Well, thank you very much for your time. We'll just leave you to your… thoughts."

With all that said and done, both Riku and Kairi left the café quickly and exhaled deeply at the awkward scene they had just been in. Kairi leaned against the building and laughed joyfully.

"Well, that was fun," she mouthed sarcastically. "Looks like our suspect has charmed her way into the hearts of man as well. So, where do we begin looking for her?"

"We might not be able to. If she's a Keyblade wielder then she might be long gone along with Astra if they're both working together. Damn it! Why do we have to hit a dead end now of all times!" Riku attempted to drive his fist into the building but stopped short and only for it to drop to his side a second later. Kairi's hand slamming against the wall in his place scared him out of his grieving.

"Well I won't give up, and you won't either Riku. We'll protect Sora no matter what may come our way. And like any of us have ever let a dead end stop us before. It's how I met you guys. Question: What do you do when a brick wall stands in your way? You smash it down."

* * *

><p>Astra felt out of place as she watched the others mourn over the loss of their friend for two reasons. The first was that she had never been good with sad events like funerals. It simply didn't suit her personality to come and see people mourn over their dead ones. It also felt like she was saying goodbye, something she had promised never to do to a certain someone in her life. The second reason was because she couldn't understand why they were mourning over this person in particle. After all, they had been hunting him down for six months after he had turned traitor. She had even posed the question to one of these nine people standing before her.<p>

"Traitor? Traitor is… a harsh word wouldn't you say? I prefer to think that he was scared. We all have that moment when we crack and unfortunately for him it happened at the worst possible moment." was Rhea's response. Currently the age of 28, she had had no choice but to watch over the period of her life as her eyesight slowly grew worse until the day came when she knew only black. Astra could only begin to imagine what she must have gone through during this time, so she would probably have known more about cracks than anyone here. Still, she possessed an unusual trait that Astra admired. She had trained herself to use her other senses as her vision deteriorated so that when the time came, they greater, almost supernatural, to that of anyone else's in the underground cavern they were in now.

Astra moved in closer until she reached Salome's side. "What's that?" she pointed to the small object that had been set down next to the newer grave in a field of others much older. It had taken them some time to track down this cavern in Radiant Garden. It had apparently been the sight of Moogles a long time ago who had mined for orichalcum as seen by the various tracks made by cart wheels in the earthy ground throughout the huge area. The graves however belonged to humans so Astra imagined that a society must have at least lived here away from the eyes of those above for some reason.

"A locket that Abraxa- that Kyle always used to carry around. It had a picture of his sister in it. She died a few years before we went under the chronostasis so whenever he went on missions he would always carry it around. It's why we're here... see that grave next to his?" Salome responded sorrowfully. Astra looked to the tombstone on the right to see the name _Sabara _engraved on it. "Through wind, snow, mud, rain… Kyle and that locket were inseparable. Which is why I can't believe that this happened… Abraxas and Kyle, they're so different but one was fun to be with and the other… killed Yeul."

"Oh grow up." Alfonso shook his head in disgust with his eyes still closed as they had been this entire time. "Abraxas, yes because he would prefer to be called that, knew exactly what he was doing. Experimenting on people and turning them into freaks of nature is not what I would describe as a rational human being. From the moment we're born we all enter an unwritten social contract which establishes the rules of what we can and cannot do. Many times in the past, those rules have been challenged and they still are being challenged to this day. But it's simple. Those who don't play by the rules get punished. Xehanort was punished and so was Abraxas. He was long gone and practically begged to be put out of his misery with the way he acted."

"Have respect for the dead please, or why are you even here in the first place?" Rhea's soft and gentle voice broke through what seemed to be the starting of an argument between the two. "Though you won't admit it, I'm sure you realize that Kyle was family to us. Otherwise you wouldn't have bothered coming, right?"

"Tch. Like you know me! He became way too interested in Sora and less on trying to keep himself sane. That's the sort of thing that gets you killed." Alfonso said.

"With all due respect, you are not exactly a team player Alfonso." Another woman in the room said with a faux French accent, or at that was what it felt like to Astra. "Nevertheless from here on out Desiree Elegia Skye can confirm that Sora is no more."

"You mean to say you killed him with a ridiculously cheap ass tactic?" Vyce scoffed running one hand through his unruly brown hair before pulling a smug grin. Despite his disposition of keeping to himself, he was quick to pull off sudden quips and jokes when least expected, something that Astra found relatable to herself and so many of the conversations that had taken place between the two had been competitions trying to one up the other person. He had on more than one occasion saved Astra many times than she could count so she considered him alright even if he was annoying at times.

"Cheap ass?" Desiree repeated with huff of annoyance. "Why be so picky over a method? Poison or no, what difference does it make? I got rid of the problem, now we can rest easy."

"Not according to my little birdy you didn't." A girl with blonde locks sneered underneath her red hood. On her shoulder was perched a green parakeet which she moved to stroke gently. "Jack's told me that Sora is alive and well. Paralyzed… but alive nonetheless. Looks like you failed."

"Dang, said straight from the creepy chick who likes talking to animals. You fail. Any words 'Delcia'?" Vyce said eagerly as if he had just won an extraordinary prize.

"W-well, I can do it again."

"Again you say? With the same exact method? He would have to be really stupid to fall for that twice you know?" Vyce replied with gritted teeth.

"It's okay." The man in front of Abraxas' grave said with a thoughtful glance. This was the man who had been responsible for putting this group together in the first place: their leader, although he much preferred to be called a friend. "Even if that didn't work, he now will have to deal with the knowledge that we'll be keeping tabs on him every step of the way. I don't prefer to do this but we'll use fear to keep him on his toes if we have to."

"Kohle, do you hate Sora?" Astra decided to ask.

"Hate? How can I hate someone I don't know? Besides, Salome's right. Hate is too strong a word which many often use in the wrong context. No, we're just doing what needs to be done in order to protect the worlds." he answered before turning around and looking at her. "I know he didn't mean much to you but for us he was family, even if some of us aren't as forgiving. He simply fell to the misfortune known as destiny, just like Sora-"

"Sora has no excuse. Luna is missing because of him… I don't even know if she's alive!" Astra threw her hands up in the air before starting to pace back and forth.

"She's alive. If she's like you then she won't have given up yet."

"How can you be so sure?"

Kohle smiled before buttoning up his beige trench coat before beginning his anecdote. "Because I've seen things happen that I would never have expected. I was out in the grassy plains of a world… Morgana I think it was called. It's this absolutely beautiful world with a magnificent forest that stretches out as far as the eye can see and… Anyway, while I was on these plains you wouldn't believe what I had come across. It was a chocobo, not just an ordinary one but one of multicolored feathers, vivid and energetic both in appearance and personality. A rainbow Chocobo, can you believe that? It seemed too good to be true. I thought I was dreaming but there it was. Slowly I moved forwards to approach it. I wanted to touch its feathers, confirm its authenticity. But before I could do so it noticed me and ran away. After that I became completely obsessed with finding that Chocobo. Whenever I could I would go back to Morgana, stand on those very same planes and hope to catch sight of the magnificent rare bird but I never was able to find it again."

"Huh, so what happened?" Rhea asked. She seemed to take keen interest in Kohle's stories. Astra couldn't even begin to figure out whether he were just making them up as he went along or actually telling the truth. The fact that he didn't stumble however seemed to suggest that he either was telling the truth, or was just a masterful storyteller.

"I gave up. It's something any rational person would do. After all why chase something so unobtainable? So dream like? A few years later, I was lost in thick woods. This was a different world where there wasn't a town within miles. It was winter and I was starving. I know I seem like the kind of guy who is usually so composed but believe me when I say I was frightened as all hell. I passed out eventually. The next thing I know, I wake up and find myself in a clearing with this shimmering crystal river in front of me and icy trees surrounding it covered in snow. And there it was, the Chocobo with rainbow feathers. It had found me and carried me to this source of nutrition.

"So the moral of the story is that sometimes things will find you when you least expect them to. It's not a question of whether you will or won't find your friend, but a matter of how far you'll go to find her, and once you do that, how far you'll go to protect her."


	9. Pursuit of Happiness

_Went to the MCM London Expo on saturday. Probably one of those defining moments when you've made so many fond memories that you don't want to go back to your normal boring life. That place was like another world entirely- one filled with Kiritos left and right. OK, not just Kirito but I certainly won't exaggerate when I say I saw a lot of Kiritos. _

_Anyway, it's time for another chapter of Cracks of the Past, and we're about to have some development for Namine. _

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 9<strong>

**Pursuit of Happiness**

Namine watched as the refreshments she had bought were loaded into the paper brown bag, paid the cashier up front and then left the store. A chilly wind ran through the street that was welcomed by the blonde. Back in Twilight Town, she had never been able to feel this wind. Her stay in the mansion had made any acquisition of nature almost foreign to her. For Namine, it had been the equivalent of an eclipse, a rare opportunity in Twilight Town but all too common in blustery Radiant Garden as of late.

Winter was definitely hitting home, that was for sure. She clasped the handle of the bag tightly and wrapped her hands around her jacket covered body. She didn't know much about the process, but she would have given anything to become a cocoon if it meant dealing with the bitterness and cold.

It had been three days since Sora had awakened from the poisoning and much to his annoyance the medics had prohibited him from leaving the hospital. Looking at Sora's current condition, Namine couldn't exactly disagree with them. He looked just as weak as he had been when he had woken up and he could hardly move his body. She couldn't begin to imagine how painful it was for Sora to just lie and watch as the rest of the world moved around him.

With nothing else to do, Namine had offered to watch over Sora as the others carefully planned their next move. If there was one thing that anyone had gotten out of this, it was that as things stood regarding their conduct of operations, something would have to change. As to what that was—well, everyone was scared of that as well.

Namine re-entered the hospital and was met with a rush of hot air from the contrast of inside and out. She took the usual path up the stairs to the second floor and down the maze of corridors to reach Sora's room. As she had remembered Xanatos saying, the hospital was divided into different wards with each unit specializing over that particular condition. One of the conversations she had had with Sora over the past three days had been about how much Radiant Garden had changed from the Hollow Bastion that had been controlled by Maleficent.

If Namine could take a positive out of the current events, this would be it. Beforehand, she had only known Sora through sharing a connection with him. She had created false memories, ones that had almost led to Sora becoming a puppet for the Organization's plans. To think that Sora could forgive her after all that she had done was not something she would have expected, and yet he had. That was the first time Namine had gotten to know Sora. It wasn't until now however that she was able to speak with him like normal friends would. She could tell that when they were conversing, he was happy to have her as company and that in turn filled her with a happiness that had rarely been found.

Namine reached the ward in which Sora was contained and knocked on the door before entering. "Sora, I bought some sandwiches from the store that we can ea-SORA?!" The bag dropped from Namine's hands and she ran over to the bed hoping her eyes were playing tricks on her. Alas, she had to deal with the fact that her mind wasn't playing tricks. Sora was gone leaving a vacant bed behind. What was more troubling however was that next to the bed, the window was opened wide.

_Did something happen to him while I was gone? What if they've gotten to him? _Namine was sure she had the right room as well so that only left one possibility as much as she didn't want to think about it. Namine turned to leave however before she could a wave of dizziness overcame her. Namine moved to the side of the room and tried to steady herself by leaning against the wall.

A blurred room soon became a clear one after a while. Carefully, Namine shakily made her way out of the room and set off down the corridor. It was happening again. The random visions in her head that ceased to quit, but they gave her a good idea as to where Sora went. She shook off the terrible feeling she felt in her stomach and walked over to the elevator. Namine waited for the door to open before stepping inside and pressing the button which led to the top floor.

After walking from one part of the floor to another and taking some stairs, she arrived on the roof of the hospital. The orange sunset poured through the wired fences covering the rooftop for safety. While she could have spent time admiring its beauty, there was something much more important that needed her immediate attention. On her right and grasping onto the fence while looking through its quadrilateral holes was…

"Sora?"

Sora turned around a bit too quickly after hearing her voice, sending a sharp jolt of pain through his spine. He winced and slumped to the ground with gritted teeth. She immediately rushed to his side and offered to help him up but he refused.

"Namine? Why are you here?" he asked languidly.

"I could ask you the same thing." Namine replied with a look of expectation on her face.

"You saw the window. I climbed." he said after a while in a matter-of-factly voice.

"You climbed all the way from the second floor to the roof?" Namine asked. Sora let out a laugh. The look on her face was more one of amazement than confusion.

"What? Don't be silly… there's a fence blocking the way to the roof. No, I climbed up to the last floor and then took the stairs to the roof." Sora explained.

"You make it sound like that's any better." Namine said before sitting next to him. "I thought you couldn't move your body."

"I thought I couldn't either. It still hurts badly if that's what you're asking but I can't stay here anymore. The more time I waste lying in a bed staring at the ceiling, the less time there'll be to rescue Luna and Alice." Sora said.

"You're not wasting time. You're recovering so you can find them faster. You still look worse for wear." Namine told him but Sora simply laughed again, his face contorting into a wry grin afterwards.

"Compared to what those two are probably going through, this is nothing. I know my limits and this is not it. I just… don't want to feel so powerless while everyone else is doing something. Even you… you do more things for me than I could ever ask for. I'm thankful, but I won't let myself be intimidated by a bunch of people who want me dead." Sora said before helping himself back up by grabbing at the fence. "I want them to know that I'm still standing. That I'm still Sora."

Namine stayed sitting down not sure what to say. Both of them knew that once Sora set out to accomplish something there was no stopping him. Namine didn't want to think of it as being selfish even if she knew others wouldn't be too entirely happy at the idea. What she was seeing here was pure unadulterated Sora at his best—the fourteen year old boy that had rescued her in a Castle filled with twisted traps now turned sixteen. How time had flown by…

"I need to know you're with me on this Namine. I'm not saying it'll be easy, I might not even be back to full strength for a while but… you have to trust me on this." he coaxed with pleading eyes. Him holding out his hand with his pinky finger extended was what had really done Namine in. Their promise. Namine got up and used her own little finger to make contact.

"I trust you."

* * *

><p>"I feel like a criminal doing this." Namine said to Sora as they reached the first floor. Sora appreciated her doing her best to support him by having an arm around her shoulder but still felt sorry that she had to do this for him.<p>

"Which is weird because I couldn't even picture you stealing out of the cookie jar." said Sora. He made sure to keep his head down as he passed through the reception desk just in case but if anything he was sure the spiky hair would have given it away.

"Have you ever stolen from the cookie jar?" Namine asked half-jokingly.

"Why are you asking me? You can see through my memories." Sora answered though Namine's distant look at this made him want to immediately retract this statement. It was clear that she still wasn't happy with having such an unexplainable power and Sora's mention of it had only brought painful memories to the surface. He moved quickly to answer her question. "I've had my moments. There was this one time when my mom hid our cookie jar away because I kept eating too much sweets. A few days after that my friend Selphie had been invited over since my mom and hers are also good friends. While we were playing hide and seek around the house we just happened to come across it by coincidence and you can guess what happened after that."

"Well that's a far cry from the other things that you've done. Just kidding." said Namine with a smile. Now it was Sora's turn to feel unsettled. Had she just said that because she really was kidding or did she know more than she was letting on? He was probably overthinking it but either way a problem wouldn't arise if Sora didn't show a reaction. For that, he was grateful that he was hanging his head low as he exited the hospital.

The sliding doors gave way allowing the two the leave the hospital. Sora finally raised his head and gave a nod of appreciation before detaching himself from Namine. A rush of wind made his weak bones feel brittle and buckled over, falling to the ground.

"Sora, are you alright? Maybe we should go back-"

"No… no, I'll be fine. Just not used to walking after so long." Sora told her and was about to try and get up when he came across the look of worry in her eyes. "On second thought, it's better if you support me." This seemed to please Namine, and with Sora back up on his feet and in Namine's care, the two set off once more towards Merlin's house.

As they were walking down the cold damp streets, Sora began to consider how he could possibly make it up to his helper. She had risked so much just helping him and he couldn't even begin to think of a proper gift for her in return. In his own absorption of thoughts, he somehow became lost and wondered back to a previous time. He had been in Christmas Town, having successfully taken down the Dr. Finkelstein's experiment with Donald, Goofy and Jack. In the end, all the experiment had wanted was not so much the presents it had stolen as it had been the feelings associated with having the present.

Similarly here, Namine had never been seen to want anything more than to spend time with Sora—at least that was how he felt whenever he had been with her back in the hospital. In a way, Sora had already given her a present, something he had been unable to do any time before that. He had promised himself once that on their next meeting he would thank her. It had not been until now that those words had obtained any sort of weight to them. That was at least one promise he was able to keep.

_Time to face the music, _Sora thought with a pensive stare as they neared Merlin's door. Namine's knock came followed by a few seconds of silence except for a blustery wind. How many times had he arrived here in a condition that hadn't been satisfactory? Twice now? He became amused at the thought of this becoming a frequent thing.

"Can't an old man get some peace and quiet around here? Honestly, sometimes I wish I hadn't allowed them to use my home as their base of operations. Now what do you want?" muttered the bemoaning of a grumpy old man, of course Sora really knew that Merlin past this was kind and very easy to warm to. Many a time had he enlightened the room with a warmth and joy that only someone of his grandfatherly calibre could achieve.

The door opened and Merlin's tired and acerbic face twisted into one full of surprise. "Sora m'boy! I'm glad you're okay. I suppose you were making excellent recovery so they decided to let you out then. Only to be expected really." he stuttered trying to cover for his previous words.

"Is it that bad Merlin?" Sora said cheekily.

"Urgh, I'd hate to place my troubles on you lad but those pixies have been driving me absolutely of my rockers for a while now. They misplace things in places they shouldn't, argue constantly… I don't know how much more I can take."

Sora nodded thoughtfully before answering. "I'll talk to them. They'll definitely listen then."

"I don't know how Leon puts up with them sometimes." Merlin said shaking his head unenthusiastically.

"Maybe he sees that they have the potential to be good." Sora suggested. Merlin stared vacantly for a second before letting out an incredulous laugh that could have rang out to the heavens. Sora had to admit it was pretty impressive anyway though he was unsure of what he had said exactly to warrant such laughter.

Merlin soon allowed them in after his laughter subsided and Namine quickly helped Sora over to a seat that was next to the warm fireplace. Sora imagined that much like Yen Sid's tower, Merlin's place consisted of things that moved around from time to time because not one thing was in the same place as it had been when he had first come here over a year ago.

Before Sora could sink into the chair and become fully comfortable, four faces popped into the room. As expected two of them were ecstatic at the sight of their friend while the other two were appeared suspicious or curious.

"Sora, I thought they said that you needed more time to recover. Why are you here?" Riku asked slowly.

Before Namine could respond for him Sora quickly cut in with a lie. "What, am I too good for your hospitality Riku? Don't worry. They said I was recovering much faster than they expected so they let me go." He figured that if he were to tell the truth right now it would cause more problems that he didn't need, especially when considering the look on Riku's face. Much to his own awe, he had been able to muster enough strength to speak in his normal tone without appearing weak.

"Well that's a good thing… ain't it?" Goofy asked taking note of Riku's and Donald's expressions.

"Of course it is! Good to have you back Sora." Donald said quickly, probably not wanting to sound doubtful of his friend's words.

"I think we oughta throw a welcome back party for Sora, don't you?" Kairi added. "I mean it's a little unexpected with the timing, but I think we can prepare by night time even if for just a small dinner with everyone. Maybe something like takeaway will be fine if that's okay."

"That sounds great Kairi. I'm looking forward to if it means that Aerith doesn't burn any more food." Sora said before standing up slowly and with a pained expression. "Do you mind if I use the bathtub Merlin? My body feels kinda tense right now."  
>"Of course, anything to make you feel more at home." Merlin answered. Sora smiled and grabbed onto several objects around the room to keep him upright as he made his way into the hallway. He imagined that this act must have appeared strange to those behind him considering what he had just said but he didn't care right now. Just one moment of relaxation where he didn't have to think much would have been appreciated. He could deal with the rest later.<p>

Somehow Sora managed to find his way into the bathroom albeit terribly slowly. On the shelves hosted several glass bottles and vials filled with what he assumed to be different potions that Merlin had made. He reached over and turned on both of the taps allowing both hot and cold water to flow from their source before turning to the potions on the shelf. He took one of them and twisted it around in his hand to inspect it. Finding no label to be on the bottle, he pulled off the cork and didn't even need to sniff it before a strong odor entered his nostrils. It had the fond smell of burning candle wax which Sora took amusement in. After a while he added the purple contents into the bath.

The next few minutes, Sora experimented with the different potions, adding them into the bubble bath mixture as he saw fit and watching as the foam built up and became denser. Each potion was off a distinct smell ranging from fruit flavors to the smell of sandalwood. By the time had finished and had turned the taps off, the bathtub was filled with an endearing white icy foam that seemed to sparkle here and there like the individual stars in the sky.

Sora could feel the soreness and resistance of his own body as he stripped down from head to toe with some difficulty before slipping into the tub.

A great sigh escaped from his lips as he settled into its warmth. He allowed his head to fall backwards as he felt the properties of the water and the various potions already doing their work on his body—or maybe it was the relaxation of his mind that made the pain he felt in his body almost non-existent. He closed his eyes and let out another loud sigh as he started stretch his various muscles.

"Sora, are you OK? AHHH!"

Sora spluttered after almost swallowing some of the foamy water. He quickly looked over to the door where Namine stood in covering her eyes. He made sure he had enough foam gathered to cover his body before whispering sharply.

"Namine, what are you doing here?"

"I am so sorry. The door was open and I thought I heard moaning behind the door and when I went to look-OH! I'm so sorry." she repeated feeling chagrined.

"What did you think I was doing?" Sora said in outrage before breathing deeply. "Look, it's not your fault. I was the one who forgot to close the door. Just, uh-"

"I'll be going then." Namine finished for him with a deep blush of scarlet on her face. She retreated from the room quickly but not before closing the door.

Sora waited for a few seconds before sinking into the comforts that the water provided letting out another exaggerated sigh as he did so. "Well that was awkward, he says putting it lightly."

* * *

><p>After getting out of the bath and putting on some fresh clothes, Sora stepped into the backyard of Merlin's garden to see a long table with oyster pails set out down the table and chopsticks stacked on top each food box neatly. Excluding a certain few, pretty much everyone was there waiting for him.<p>

"Well if it isn't the guest of honor." Lea said breaking off his conversation with Ventus upon noticing Sora. Next to them were Roxas and Xion who were chatting animatedly with Namine and Kairi. Sora and Namine briefly exchanged glances before the two both looked away in embarrassment. Kairi must have noticed because she kept shifting her eyes back and forth suspiciously.

"When'd you guys arrive?" Sora asked the Twilight Town trio.

"About five days ago. You alright buddy?" Roxas asked his once other half.

"Never felt better." Sora lied. It had definitely been some sort of placebo effect back in that bathtub because no sooner had he left it than the pain had shot back up and returned to his body. It was less than before, but still present. It would have felt odd lying to Roxas if he had been his other half like before, but the two were no long joined and Roxas was his own person. Even if he didn't want to do it, it certainly made things easier.

"Welcome back Sora, we all missed you." Rinoa said prancing and pouncing from behind Sora to wrap her arms around him.

"Aren't you engaged?" Kairi asked with a tinge of jealousy. Feeling the weight of Rinoa's arms against his shoulders almost made him want to collapse but Sora continued to hold his ground and waited for Rinoa to untangle herself.

"Where's Riku and Cloud?" Sora asked.

"I'm not sure 'bout Cloud but Riku said he needed to check somethin' out quickly and that he'd be back soon." Goofy informed him.

"Oh forget those two. Hurry up and dig in before the food gets cold," Yuffie said pointing to the boxes. "Or before I eat them all. Whichever one comes first."

"I didn't know you were such a glutton Yuffie." Tifa said with a chuckle.

"Hey! The great ninja needs energy if she's going to be great, dontcha think Sora?"

"Why are you asking me?" Sora asked. A sudden growl of the stomach had the Keyblade wielder challenge Yuffie to who would be the first to get to the table. Unfortunately, a combination of Yuffie's hunger and agility as a proclaimed ninja got her there faster.

In all honesty, Sora didn't feel it was right to describe this as a party. Not because the mood wasn't right but because it didn't feel right to celebrate anything without accomplishing anything. He had gotten out the hospital thanks to Namine but only because he didn't want to waste time tracking down Luna. He could really only feel in a celebratory mood once this happened, and then they could set off and rescue Alice.

Over the next half an hour, Sora was distracted by the takeaway he was eating as well as the various conversations going on around the table. It was one of those moments when everything felt unified and no long separated by boundaries or worries. Jokes were cracked, small stories were exchanged and the idea that Sora had been poisoned over a week ago seemed like a long distant memory. It was just the way he wanted it. But no matter how much he smiled or talked as if he had no worries in the world, he was broken clockwork on the inside. He still felt as if the world was moving around him while he was somewhere in limbo.

As if sense this doubt within him, Colette (who had been sitting next to him with Stephanie) had placed her hand on Sora's and gave it a tight reassuring squeeze. "This may not be my place to say this, but your journey's not over yet. Don't doubt yourself. You're just as good as anyone else on this table."

_Good… _Sora wondered about that. Three months ago he would have been ready to strike down Abraxas purely out of revenge. He hadn't gone through with it but he felt as if that one decision had been enough to change something within him.

"Sora. Kairi. You two mind if you come with me for a sec?"

Sora looked away from the table to see Riku who was standing by the door waiting with a look on his face that didn't seem too pleased about something. Colette let go of Sora's hand and gave him a smile that actually seemed to hurt Sora more than comfort him. He got up from the bench and waited for Kairi to join his side before the two headed back into the house along with Riku.

When they arrived in the empty living room, Kairi finally asked what had been on both her and Sora's minds. "Okay, just what is going on Riku and where have you been this whole time?"

Unlike Kairi, Sora could actually guess where the conversation was heading. He hadn't expected it to be so soon but he knew someone as meticulous as Riku would not have left such a gaping hole unquestioned. Therefore, Sora didn't bother to conceal the stolid look on his face as Riku explained to them how he had checked at the hospital only to find that Sora had not been scheduled for release for a while and that he had broken out.

"Not only that but you asked Namine to help you. I don't know what you're playing at but this, in case you haven't noticed it yet, is serious. Do you know how much trouble she could have been in had you been caught?" Riku finished with a raised voice.

"Yes, and trust me, had it been any other way I would have taken it. Look, I just couldn't stay in bed all day while Luna is who knows where-"

"So this is about Luna then?" Riku asked impatiently.

"Yes, it's about Luna!" Sora yelled somehow managing to raise his voice to be equal to that of Riku's. With his voice feeling slightly hoarse, Sora placed his hand against the back of his throat to rub it.

"OK, let me put it to you this way. You've been so focused on rescuing her that you haven't given so much a thought as to your own well being. Did you ever stop to think that by being so careless, you're actually being a hindrance to finding her?" Riku shot back.

"A hindrance? So it's my fault I was poisoned then?"

"You know that's not what I mean. What I'm saying is that you aren't being patient and that you're stalling your own recovery by acting on what you think is right instead of what's right for everyone."

"It doesn't matter what I think is right. I just want to set things right, the things that I screwed up." Sora said. His eyes moved other to the fireplace where the stayed transfixed by the ember flames.

"So you aren't worried about the fact that a group of people are out to kill you by any means necessary?" Riku questioned.

"Y'know, that's not exactly the newest thing on my agenda. I'm not saying I'm not worried… of course I am, but I won't let them throw me off my path. I'm not afraid, at least not of them. I can barely sleep at night. I have nightmares… sometimes of Yeul dying… sometimes of Luna falling. Each time, I reach out thinking I can save them… but the scenes both play out the same. Nothing changes. I made promises to each of them… and I've managed to break them both. How else does that describe me if not weak? The things that matter, I can't protect!" Sora yelled at him before looking at the ground. "That kills me more than they ever could. That's why I can't sit around and wait—because I die a little bit inside every time I do and that pain won't stop hurting until I know for sure that she's alright. If I could have at least kept one promise… then that will have been enough to ease my conscience."

"Even at the expense of your own life?" Riku asked before sitting down on one of the chairs with his hands clasped together. "What about our pain and sorrow Sora? If you die, what happens to me and Kairi? I almost lost you both once, when I became entrapped in my own and Ansem's darkness. If it hadn't been for you, I don't know who I would be right now. I lost my mother when I was young as well, and I'll be honest… I don't know how I managed to get through that. So don't make me think of how I'll be able to get through this, because I know I won't be able to. I will not let you throw your life away. I won't lose someone else important to me. Please, I'm just asking you to reconsider."

"I'm not backing down. This is something I have to do. As Lea so often likes to say, why do I always get stuck with the icky jobs? I guess it's because I'm willing and able to do it if it's for my friends. If it helps, I feel stronger now than I ever could have back in that hospital." Sora said looking back at Riku with a bold gaze. He stopped himself before he could further say anything else because the small fire inside him could have potentially become a raging inferno were he to have said the wrong thing.

"And we'll protect Sora like we always do, right Riku?" Kairi asked with a cheerful look on her face. She had done well to stay out of the conversation until now but also saw the need to be the one who brought about the peaceful resolution to the heated argument.

Riku still looked sceptical even with this promise made by Kairi. Sora wasn't surprised about this either. He didn't expect to change Riku's mind overnight. He may not be able to work miracles but he certainly wasn't incapable either. It was only a question of how much time he would need to prove that to Riku.

"Why don't you come outside and eat with us while the night is still young. Hopefully the great ninja hasn't devoured the food we've left for you yet." Sora proposed, wanting to lay off the topic of his condition just as much as Kairi. He couldn't afford to stop and hesitate now, not even for one moment.

"I'm not hungry." Riku said swallowing the thick air between them before bidding them goodnight and heading out through the front door. Sora waited for the door to close before burying his face into his hands in anger.

"I suppose this is what happens when an unstoppable force meets and immovable object." Kairi observed.

"He's being so thick headed about this. If he's worried about me he doesn't need to be." Sora muttered.

"It's been a stressful week, for all of us. Don't worry, tomorrow we'll all be heading to another world and we'll act like this conversation has never happened. But promise me one thing…" Kairi said before digging into her pocket and pulling out of her wayfinder. Enchantment or no enchantment on it, Kairi's lucky charm had safely guided Sora through his previous journeys. It was the memories that were attached to the charm that were the magic. Sora always felt as if he was carrying a little piece of Kairi along with him whenever he had it. "Don't push yourself too hard, even if you think you're nearing the end. There are so many who become so obsessed with chasing after the goal of making others happy that it comes at the cost of them being unhappy themselves. Don't end up as one of them."

Sora's eyes flicked back and forth between the wayfinder and Kairi's ocean blue eyes before accepting the object in her hands.

"I promise. Let's head back before they start to wonder where their _recovered patient_ has disappeared off to." Sora said. He placed considerable force on the armchair as he helped himself up. Before Kairi could leave the room, Sora called out to her. "And Kairi? You're wrong about one thing. I never once thought I wasn't doing this for myself."

Kairi gave a lopsided smile at this.

"I know."

* * *

><p><em>So we have a conflict of interest between our boys so we'll see where that goes. It also won't be the only conflict as we'll see in the next chapter. With Sora being pressured on all sides, just how will he cope? Will he be able to for that matter? Only one way to find out. <em>


	10. A Series of Unexpected Events

**Chapter 10**

**A Series of Unexpected Events**

"What is he thinking?!" Sora cried out absolutely disgusted by what had just happened in Merlin's backyard. Not even twenty four hours had passed since the party had finished and Sora already found his blood boiling. He looked around the living room with his eyes glaring threateningly like daggers wanting nothing more than to start throwing and smashing things around the room.

"Sora, you need to calm down. You're acting exactly as Master Yen Sid described." Riku said.

"Oh I'd certainly hope so." Sora scoffed let out a harsh laugh that hurt more than he had expected. "I can't see why we can't focus on rescuing both Alice AND Luna instead of prioritizing one over the other."

"According to the old man, it's because of lack of human resources. At the end of the day they're both suicide missions so pick your poison." Lea said. Contrary to what he had just said, Lea had surprisingly shown the most reluctance when they had all heard Yen Sid criticise Sora for showing a reckless attitude as a Keyblade Master. It wasn't like the thought of defying orders was second nature to Lea. He had even gone through the trouble of learning to wield a Keyblade just so he could rescue Roxas and Xion. Therefore, it stood to reason that he would have been highly sympathetic to Sora's dilemma.

"As positive as ever I see." Xion said with a frown.

"What? It's true. That and it would be so convenient if they were both in the same place but I think you'll find that the worlds aren't so kind. And when you consider that we don't even know if Luna's—well, you know—then our best bet is with the one who is important to maintaining the balance of our worlds. Not necessarily my opinion but I'm just trying to play devil's advocate here." Lea replied.

"So at the end of the day it comes down to survival for the one who's more important?" Sora surmised if not just to point out how cruel that had just sounded.

"Well if you put it that way-"

"There's no other way to put it Lea. I care as much as anyone here about Alice but I'm not going to abandon Luna either. We can save both. That's why I'm so annoyed. It's like Yen Sid's just given up on her—like he thinks there's only one way to do things." Sora said clenching his fists so tightly that they began to feel hot and sweaty.

"I'm sure he hasn't given up on- okay, even if I tell you that, that's not gonna change your mind is it?" Lea asked only for Sora to shake his head and reply with a "Nope".

"I think need some coffee to calm you down Sora. We're definitely not giving up on Luna." Aerith said entering the room with a tray carrying a couple of mugs. She handed one to Sora before setting the rest down on the table.

"Wait a second, isn't caffeine a stimulant?" Kairi asked slowly. If only that were the problem, but Sora wasn't too concerned with that. The real problem was that he was now wary of any type of coffee that was given to him after last time. He didn't want to give the wrong impression to Aerith but that didn't stop him from peering into the mug as if he was suspicious of it.

"So let's go over our main objectives." Aqua said after taking a sip of her coffee. "We need to visit each of the princesses' worlds and make sure that we bring them here. We already know that one princess is safe so we have five more to go. In meantime we dig up clues for anything relating to Alice's whereabouts..." She looked wistfully over in Sora's direction but he didn't bother saying anything. He could only stare at the swirling brown liquid in front of him as he rotated it. He didn't know if it was just him or if it was the coffee that really tasted bitter.

Thus their meeting ended on a sour note as they all scrambled to gather their own thoughts over the next few hours before they each left for the world they had been assigned to. Sora, Riku and Kairi had been assigned to bring back their friend Belle who would be living comfortably with Prince Adam (formally known as the Beast). Having to separate the two for an unknown period of time after all they had been through would no doubt be crushing not just for them but for the trio who had fought against Xehanort just to see them stay together.

Those hours soon passed by quickly and the trio soon set off for the Gummi Hangar that had been built just outside of the town as of recent. Riku and Kairi were in the middle of their discussion while Sora was trailing behind with very much the same vacant look on his face that had been there since morning. The sudden feeling of a chill running down his spine grabbed his attention. He spun around, his eyes darting left to right and back as he tried to locate something or someone.

"Is something wrong Sora?" Kairi's concerned voice caused Sora to turn back again.

"Nothing, at least I don't think so. I'm probably just tired." Sora replied scratching his head. For a brief moment he had felt some presence behind him, like something had been following them and watching but in the end he had come across nothing. He didn't want to alert Riku and Kairi to something that could have just been his imagination especially when his own condition was in question at the moment. For now, it was safer to keep his mouth shut until something more conclusive happened. The walk to their destination continued.

"I don't know how many times we've said this but do you think we'll ever get one peaceful moment where we can just settle down in one place?" Kairi asked giving a hearty laugh once they had arrived at the hangar. The unusual sounds of clanging and pumping coupled with the turning of cogs and the smell of fuel made the three feel nauseous. Other than the entrance, there was a much larger exit on the opposite side of the hanger through which the Gummi Ship would leave through as soon as it left the ramp it was currently stationed on.

"I would hazard a guess and say no." Riku said. He seemed a lot more cheerful and accessible to the idea of Sora coming along with them after a night's sleep as Kairi had predicted but he hadn't expressly mentioned this to Sora. If anything, Riku seemed content with forgetting about it and putting it behind him. It was like a silent pact had been formed between the two to not speak of their argument again—or maybe it was simply an 'agree to disagree' situation.

"So, that's it then. We're heading for Belle…" Kairi reiterated what had been agreed on in the meeting.

"Yeah, though not necessarily right now." Riku's words surprised both Sora and Kairi who let out an undignified sound that was drowned out by the machines nearby. "Well, our mission is to take Belle back here. We didn't discuss _when _we had to do that."

Sora stared blankly for a second as if he had just misheard something, but seeing Riku's slight smirk confirmed that what he had heard was correct. Eventually Sora's deadpan expression changed into that of a little child who had been told that he had received presents from Santa Claus on Christmas. A glistening twinkle returned in his eye that hadn't been there for so long and he could feel the anger flowing out of him like water out of a broken dam.

"RIIIIIKUUUU, I LOVE YOU BUDDY!" he cried moving into hug the frozen silver haired recipient.

"Uh Sora, please not here. This is just…" Riku said struggling to find the right words, and struggling to take Sora off him while doing so.

"Oh it's OK. You can get all sentimental with me and stuff. I promise I won't bite." Sora said continuing to keep hold off his friend.

"Much." Kairi added with a flirty wink.

"Kairi, you aren't helping here!" Riku pointed out with his voice managing to break halfway.

"Sorry to interrupt your little moment here, but this baby's all ready and itchin' to go." Cid said having just emerged from the Highwind with a toolbox in one hand. Sora detached himself from Riku and gave a thumbs up to the Gummi mechanic. "I made some quick changes to the Heat Sink which should prevent your weapons from overheatin' too quickly. I also improved on the rocket propulsion system so that you can enter warp drive a hell of a lot faster. Should get yeh outta some tight spots I'd imagine."

"Where would we ever be without you Cid?" Sora asked with a simpering grin.

"Dead prob'ly." Cid answered a little too quickly for the three to take seriously.

"You don't even want to know how many times that has come close to being true." Sora supplemented knowing fully well the trauma that crashing into a jungle, being swallowed by a whale and being rammed by a ship could cause. Sora, Donald and Goofy had miraculously survived each of these counters and then some but there was always the possibility that his luck would run out sooner or later.

"Kairi!"

The four of them turned to see Aqua running up to them from the hangar's entrance doors. Sora was just barely able to catch the object that she holding at her side as she ran. She stopped just short of them and held out the wayfinder in front of her.

"It's… for communication… in case… we need to… update each other." Aqua panted bending over to catch her breath.

"Seriously, you do too much for us Aqua. If I ever wrong you in any way… please feel free to slap Sora." Kairi said.

"What's my contribution then? Chopped liver?" Cid grunted before placing a toothpick in his mouth.

"Hey I don't need two people after me thank you very much." Sora defended with raised hands.

"I could never do that to Sora. Kairi, I'll leave up to you to discipline these two when the going gets tough. Think you can handle that responsibility?" Aqua asked. Like Colette, she seemed to possess a motherly charm to her that you wouldn't believe simply by judging her on her youthful appearance. This partly stemmed from her sworn devotion to look after Kairi after she had found out that she had been responsible for performing the rite of succession on the red head at a young age by accident.

_The rite of succession… _an act by which the inheritor of a Keyblade has the authority to pass down the ability to wield one to another person. He used the word 'authority' because it couldn't just be passed down to anyone. It was more of the Keyblade's choice as to whether that person was suitable or not rather than the person. The Keyblade was picky about things like that. Unlike Riku and Kairi, Sora had never had such a contract of sorts. He was under the label of a reserve wielder but had eventually earned the right to wield one.

The whole thing made him think of Luna though. How had she gotten her Keyblade? If she was like Riku and Kairi, then she would have had to have obtained it from someone. While he had thought of Abraxas as a possible suspect at first, it made no sense as to why he would have given her the Keyblade only to then try and turn her into a chimera so she couldn't use it.

Then there was Astra. Was it a coincidence that two close friends were both able to wield a Keyblade? His own personal history had told Sora no. If a Keyblade somehow found its way to one of them first then it would have explained how the other had obtained it but Luna hadn't mentioned anything about her friend having a Keyblade after she had regained her memories.

That left the possibility of her situation being more like Sora's, except that it wasn't. Sora had gotten the Keyblade because Riku had given into the darkness at the time. Abraxas had seen the potential in her before Traverse Town which was why he had chosen her as his first experiment. How had he even known in the first place that she had the potential? A mystery having its own mysteries was nothing new in the daily life of Sora, but it didn't mean that he had become any less engrossed by them.

"I'll try. I can't promise I'll be as effective as you though." Kairi admitted humbly. Much like Yen Sid, Kairi had been strengthening and learning new types of magic from Aqua as well, thus considering her to be a mentor figure.

"Well, it was nice seeing you three again. We'll be leaving later but if you want to contact us just think of the person you want to talk to while holding the wayfinder. I'm also handing one to Roxas and Mickey so you'll be able to contact them as well. Good luck." Aqua said before pulling each of them into a hug. After she had withdrawn from Riku, she gave them a final goodbye before leaving the hangar in much the same way she came in, by running.

It was their soon turn to say their final goodbyes to Cid and before Sora knew it, he was already on the Gummi Ship watching as the Radiant Garden grew farther and farther away from him.

Sora took great pleasure in commandeering the Highwind once again, pulling up on the joystick as the ship ascended higher and higher through the clouds until it emerged among a sea of blue among swirls and gas clouds of many colors spanning different directions across who knew how many distances. Farther than that you would have the semi-occasional vortex, galaxy clusters and stunning nebulae. While in his sickbed, the thought of returning to the Gummi Ship and travelling among the sea between worlds was often a comforting one.

What wasn't a comforting thought was the inevitable sea of Heartless ships that they would have to battle their way through. They would have no choice but to cut their way through using their awesome supply of firepower when the time came. However, Sora did find one good improvement on the ship to take enjoyment in much to his sheer pleasure.

"At least Cid installed that cup holder I was asking for. Like, it's such a basic function but every time I asked for one he was all like 'Oh what're ya gonna do with a cup holder? Brag at the Heartless that ya have one?' And now does he finally see reason. Now if only there was a space diner somewhere around here…"

"I guess you should have asked for a percolator and some ground coffee along with it." Kairi replied. She was sitting on the seat to the right of him with her arms resting behind her head.

"I don't think that far ahead, I improvise. Take right now for example, no idea where we're going. There has to be something out there, I just know there has to be." Sora murmured. His hands moved up and settled on his neck as if trying to feel something. He had given his necklace to Luna, something he had never really done before. It was an invaluable item. A lucky charm of sorts to him and Luna knew that, so if she was still out there somewhere then he hoped that the necklace was doing a better job than he was at keeping her safe.

* * *

><p>Desiree Elegia Skye quietly nibbled on the croissant she was eating so as to savor its buttery and flaky texture while watching as Vyce walked up to and sat down opposite her. Regardless of whether they had a mission to complete or not, Desiree had always found time to come to one of her favorite bakeries when possible. Having come here on multiple occasions, she could proudly say that she adored it all. The Parisian cuisine, the Parisian architecture, the Parisian festivals—she enjoyed Parisian life in general.<p>

Her colleague on the other hand was not as nearly obsessed. Vyce tapped on the table with his fingers in a repeated rhythm as he watched Desiree eat in the slowest possible way.

"You know they say you are what you eat. Considering how much of those things you eat, I'm surprised you still look like that. Plus all that butter can't be good for you." Vyce pointed out.

"I simply have to catch up after wasting thirteen years of my life sleeping, non?" Desiree replied before setting the half eaten croissant down and leaning her chin on both her hands. "If you're worried about my fit and unbearably cute body, you don't have to worry. I know more about my body's needs than you do."

"I don't know where you get off calling yourself cute darling." Vyce mumbled.

Desiree giggled and shook her head. "You don't appreciate the beauty of most things. And besides, I know Sora definitely thought I was cute." she said.

"Would you actually have gone on a date with him? Come on, I won't tell." Vyce egged on.

"If he were willing to treat me like a princess, why not?" Desiree replied with a smile on her face that feigned to be innocent.

"I don't even know why I asked. You're spoilt to a fault. Hardly my idea of cute." Vyce said.

Desiree smirked and, finding a topic of interest, decided to exploit it because that was what she liked to do best. "And what is? Astra?"

"You are full of it sometimes. I have no interest in her or you. Besides, she's not going to be with us for long anyway. As soon as she finds her friend, she's out of here." Vyce said showing a lack of interest. In reality, Desiree knew Vyce long enough to know that he usually concealed most of his emotions very well. This was with the exception of his snarky and wolfish nature whenever he felt like displaying them of course. "Where is she right now anyway? She didn't come back with us…"

"Oui. She told Salome that she needed some time alone to think things through. I wouldn't be surprised if she was trying to look for her friend by herself. She's always seemed the lone wolf type." Desiree highlighted.

"Does she even have any ideas as to where her friend is?" Vyce asked.

"She may or may not have told me." Desiree said playfully wagging her right index finger. "But we've been trying to help gather Intel. All I shall say is that any trail leading to Luna would amount to a dead end. It's not her we should be thinking about."

It seemed however that her fun was ruined as Vyce immediately knew the answer to what she was talking about. "It's the background radiation right? Find the source of the fog and you find Luna. Yeah I've done my research, or at least as much as I could on something that doesn't make sense. The biggest report of the radiation I could find was in the Pride Lands. I doubt you've ever been there because you're you but there have been reports of the inhabitants of that place turning insane and attacking their own kind. Unlike any other world, it's taken on a physical manifestation there. It's become a literal physical and breathing fog. Kohle sees that world as a priority for us to focus on."

Desiree shrugged. "Oh did he? I must have missed that."

"Only because you were lazy and didn't bother to come to the meeting. Expecting other people to drag you away from your makeup desk isn't the exactly the sign of a productive person you know? But yeah, the fog in that world is less like fog and more like a virus of sorts. I dread to think of what would happen if it spread to other worlds. It looks to be containing itself for now though but that doesn't exactly help those stuck inside," Vyce said. Desiree considered this carefully before picking up her croissant and biting into it again. So thirteen years later, she had woken up to a World that was tearing itself apart through a series of unexpected events. But at the end of the day, she supposed that was what being a Keyblade Wielder was about and especially a member of Moira's Crescent. It was about protecting the things that mattered and striving to preserve the balance between light and dark.

"Do you believe that Astra could convince Luna to come and live with us?" asked Desiree suddenly.

"My, I didn't know you cared." Vyce said with a toothy grin.

Desiree realized what she had said and how she had said it and immediately scoffed to cover it up. "I don't. It's time for us get back to the cathedral and continue with our mission. Allons-y!" she said, wolfing down the remaining piece of croissant with an endearing smile that held more secrets and falsehoods than it let on.

* * *

><p>Red lasers reigned down upon the Heartless ships taking them out one by one as the Gummi Ship drove through the swarm with amazing speed and resistance. Even though the weapons on the ship were powerful, there were simply too many ships in the way to attack and so Sora couldn't help it if some of them hit against the Gummi Ship. It was hard-shelled shield for the Highwind that was the difference between victory and defeat. Sora wouldn't have exactly called it impenetrable because with enough force anything could bypass it, but it wasn't exactly feeble either.<p>

"We're right in the eye of the storm. It's insane how many of them there are!" Kairi yelled as Sora swerved to the left to avoid a Driller Heartless' punch. On another part of the ship would have been the turret compartment that Riku was currently using. Sora could make out a flash of light in the form of a sword cut that knocked the Driller aside causing it to explode.

"You know, your words of 'encouragement' aren't exactly helping." Sora said irritably as he straightened the ship out before flicking a few controls on the panel before him. "We're gonna have to go into warp drive."

"Sounds good to me-" Kairi was thrown off her footing and fell forward only to be caught by Sora in time. Another rock of the ship resulted in a crack on the window appearing. "What is going on?"

"Beats me, I thought the shields were up unless…" Letting Kairi go, Sora punched at and banged on a few buttons on the console but something was incredibly amiss. No matter how hard he tried, he couldn't get the shield generator to start working again.

"You do know what each button does right?" Kairi asked.

"Please Kairi, you're insulting my intelligence. I think I've flown this thing enough times to know where each thing is." Sora said when in fact he had only flown it so many times that he had become accustomed to the basic buttons. He had never dared touch most of the buttons on the panel except for the ones Donald had taught him to use. Having the Gummi Ship on autopilot most times had not really helped.

"What's going on up there? The engine keeps making this weird noise from down here, I don't know if you can hear it. Is everything alright or should I be worried?" Riku's voice sounded from the intercom speaker.

"I'd say it's a cause for concern, yeah. Sora, just take us into warp drive." Kairi urged not seeming to realize that her breathing was getting incredibly louder by the minute. Sora couldn't fault her but it did help in covering up his own breathing.

"Yeah… about that. It's not working for some reason. It's like the system is locking up or something. Riku, stay where you are and keep shooting. Kairi, can you go down into the engine room and check it out because if this is any indication we are suffering from an engine malfunction." Sora ordered. The Highwind was rocked again, this time not from a Heartless but definitely from somewhere below the cockpit which just so happened to be where the engine was located.

"On it boss." Kairi said. With the Highwind starting to shake violently, Kairi somehow managed to float her way over to the back of the room and down the hallway before arriving at the door all the way in the back.

She opened it to see a ladder going down into the Highwind's interior. Kairi bent down and descended to the level below her attaching to the ladder like glue as the ship made several unexpected jolts. The amount of strange Gummi blocks and equipment in the room allowed Kairi grasp just how naïve she was when it came to the technology.

_And here Sora thought it was a good idea to send me. I am so getting him back for this, _Kairi promised to herself before looking around. She just hoped that the problem was obvious and incredibly overt otherwise she didn't know what chance she stood of finding it. It probably would have also helped to have asked what exactly she was looking for.

She started whistling to herself as she walked through and analyzed the various components of the ship. If she were Chip or Dale she would automatically assume that it was the biggest looking Gummi piece that was responsible for the operations of the ship.

Faint, but certain, Kairi managed to pick up on a scuttling sound from somewhere above her but when she looked up at the ceiling she found nothing of importance. The idea of believing the sound just to be in her head flew out of the window when she heard the scuttling again, much louder this time and then slowly dissipating off into an echo somewhere behind her. Had a Heartless somehow found its way onto the ship?

Kairi summoned her Keyblade and grasped onto the railing (in case the ship rocked again) while making her way around the room.

"Hello?" Kairi asked before shaking her head vigorously. She couldn't believe she was trying to make a horror cliché out of this. If it was a Heartless, it wouldn't have responded anyway—not that she expected the killer to respond to such a call in a horror movie either.

More scuttling. Kairi could tell she was getting close as the sounds became louder and more pronounced. The lights in the room flickered on and off several times with its longer moments sending Kairi into a state of sharp erratic breathing. It was near the back of the room that she got her first clear glimpse of the creature—enough to know that it wasn't a Heartless.

"Stitch wasn't it?" That was what Sora had referred to it by when he and Terra, Ven and Aqua had shared stories about the blue alien. More formally known as Experiment 626, the creature had been chewing on some cables as if they were edible only to spit them out a second later in disgust.

"Iky!" Stitch yelled. He made a throwing up sound before scuttling over to what Kairi assumed was the engine if her theory about the biggest Gummi block being it was true. From the looks of it, it already seemed quite damaged with the plating having been completely torn off leaving a strange green glow to emanate from the inside. He reached out for it and stopped short before turning to Kairi.

"Stitch, or Experiment 626… whatever you want to be called… whatever you do, just please do not touch that." Kairi said pointing to the green glow.

"Touch… that?" For a moment Stitch looked as if he were seriously mulling those words over in his head. Kairi wondered if she had actually managed to get through to him but his next actions proved otherwise. He pulled a face and started laughing maniacally before digging his claws into the green light.

For the next few seconds, or maybe even minutes, Kairi could not tell one thing from another. The easiest things to distinguish would have been what had happened at the start. The green light had vanished and along with it the lights illuminating the engine room covering her sight in a blanket of thick darkness. The vibration and humming of the ship soon stopped underneath her feet afterwards. Suddenly the ship was dropping in altitude rapidly and she along with it. She tripped over a bunch of wires and hit her head on something hard causing her to slump to the metallic floor through loss of consciousness.

* * *

><p>Sora's eyes fluttered open to see the rays of strong sunlight stare directly back at him through the cracked windshield. An identifiable feature of the setting in front of him was palm trees, something which he knew grew only in warm temperate climates. Seeing this filled him with hope even if he knew that this was impossible. It was gone, and yet here were some trees that he could only familiarise with the Destiny Islands.<p>

In any case he was in no condition to move. The impact of the crash was such that it had thrown Sora's head forward into the console panel. The intense headache was met with an equally intense heat from the sun that dazed him. He wanted to close his eyes again and feel the warmth tickle his face. He had almost done it too if not for Riku's arrival on the scene.

"You alright? I found Kairi in the engine room along with this thing," Riku announced holding up a sleeping Stitch in his hands. "I had to put him to sleep since he kept trying to get away and trust me, it wasn't easy. Looks like the Gummi responsible for the engine was damaged by our little blue friend here."

"Stitch? You're kidding me. How did he even get on the ship?" Sora murmured keeping his head down on the console panel out of laziness.

"How did he get into the engine room is the question. I'd say he came in around the time Cid was making changes to the ship." Riku guessed. It made sense given that the only time the door to the engine room would have been opened was when Cid was using it. In other words, Stitch had already been on the ship when Sora, Riku and Kairi had embarked on it.

Sora finally lifted his head from its resting place and swivelled the chair around to see Kairi holding a bag of ice to her head looking none too pleased. "You need some help there?" he asked.

"No, it's okay. I just didn't think one little creature would be capable of so much havoc. I underestimated him and boy did I feel the effects of it," Kairi admitted. "When Aqua and the others mentioned that Experiment 626 was a highly intelligible creature created by a mad scientist, I found that hard to believe. So… unless he sabotaged the Highwind on purpose…"  
>"He may have also been looking for food. Probably thought the energy provided in the Engine Gummi was a good source of sustenance." Riku suggested.<p>

"What a drag." Sora stated. He turned back to the console and pressed a few buttons hoping to hear the usual gargle of the engine and the lighting up of various buttons and display units. Instead he was met with an unyielding dead circuit board. "The engine's gone bust. Unless we find some other Gummi out there then we're stuck."

_Out there… _As the words left Sora's mouth he found them immediately stupid. To chances of happening across a spare Gummi engine in whatever world they were currently in was unlikely. Even if they did find one, Sora had no idea how to install it onto the Gummi Ship.

He needed to calm down and think carefully. It was better to take things in smaller steps right now than big ones. The first thing that needed to be done was to gather information on the world they were in.

He was about to tell Riku and Kairi as much when a knock on the emergency exit door was heard. Silence filled a room with already uneasy faces. No one was willing to make a move, at least until a second set of knocks were heard.

"Hello, is anyone in there?" A young girl's voice called loudly from the other side.

"Lilo! Ooh, I swear if you get me into trouble…" said a much deeper voice this time indicating that an older woman was there along with the girl.

"Admit it, you're just scared."

"Scared? What, of the gigantic spaceship that just came out of nowhere and almost destroyed our house? Of course I am!"

Riku frowned and watched as Sora stood up. "You think we should open it?"

"We can't stay in here forever. Look, it'll be fine." Sora replied and proceeded over to the door where he grabbed at the edges before sliding the door aside. He was immediately met with a punch to the face. It had been quick and completely unexpected giving the Keyblade wielder no time to dodge at all. He stumbled over and fell while holding his nose which felt like it was on fire.

"Oh, you look human. I am so sorry." The older woman apologized with a flustered smile. She seemed to resemble the younger girl in looks so Sora assumed that they were related in some way.

"Could be aliens in disguise." The girl which had been called Lilo earlier said.

"Lilo, that is just impossible!" The woman snapped before looking at Sora, Riku and Kairi suspiciously. "Though now that I think about it, that doesn't explain what you're doing here in this… thing."

"Doesn't explain why you had to punch me either but then again I guess I'm used to my face being a magnet by now." Sora complained.

"Maybe it would help if we introduced each other first. I'm Riku, she's Kairi and the guy you punched would be Sora." Riku introduced.

"I'm Nani and this is Lilo, my little sister though I suppose since I'm the sole carer for her now and since she acts like a baby sometimes, I kinda feel more like a mother at times. With any luck, I won't start to look old before my time." Nani joked.

"Do you happen to know where we are?" Kairi asked.

"See? No normal person would ask that kind of question." Lilo pointed out sanguinely.

"Trust me—we're as normal as they come, and then maybe a little extra." Kairi said. "This is just a… um, an experiment that we are doing by… er…"

"Oh no, it's the secret services isn't it?" Nani said with a frightened expression on her face.

"Ye- I mean… well it wouldn't be a secret if we told you now, would it?" Kairi replied happy that Nani had accepted something though judging from her expression, this secret service didn't seem to be a good thing.

"But you three just look like a bunch of kids. Do you have identification?" Nani asked. Sora wanted to laugh. No one would have believed such a flimsy explanation as that in the first place.

_Uh oh, and commencing yet another punch in three, two, one… _

"It's a new recruitment programme for highly skilled people from a young age. We've been chosen to look after a highly sensitive subject though I can understand that you wouldn't believe us so here it is." Riku said before presenting Stitch to her. "I can't really divulge anything since it's classified but let's just say the experiment went awry and we'd appreciate it if you could give us any information that might be helpful."

_Smooth._

Nani reflected on these words but it was ultimately her eyes that favored Sora and the others. They rested on the blue creature, looking almost fearful at its strange appearance.

She ran the tip of her tongue against her bottom lip thoughtfully before speaking. "You're in Kauai, one of the Hawaiian Islands. We're right outside our house but I suppose you can't move this thing somewhere else?"

"Engine's dead. You're going to have to bear with us just a while longer I'm afraid." Riku answered with a painful smile. He probably couldn't even believe that he was going this far with a lie, but what else could they do? The story of having come from another world would have seemed convincing to a young girl like Lilo, but Nani was surely not going to believe it. If Lilo could keep a secret then perhaps Sora would think about telling her the truth later on.

"We'll be happy to help you in any way we can… of course I'm not sure how much help I can provide to the secret services but-"

"Oh, he's waking up!" Lilo proclaimed. They all watched as Stitch's ears twitched becoming more fervent by the second. Eventually its eyes opened and started stretching in Riku's palms. Then, noticing that it was being heavily watched it changed personality instantly. Stitch let out a low growl reminiscent of an angry puppy before attempting to gnaw on Riku's hand. Its handler withdrew their hand just in time but at the expense of letting him.

"Hey, you're not going anywhere!" Sora shouted. His hands parted from his nose and instead focused on catching Stitch who was trying to make a break for the door. Once again, Sora's head became the target of abuse and Stitch easily jumped through Sora's grasp at the last possible second and onto his head. He stomped on Sora's head for a second in triumph before jumping off and exiting the ship.

"This is really getting old!" Sora exclaimed in annoyance as Riku, Kairi, Nani and Lilo watched the alien creature disappear into the local and yet strangely comparable flora.

* * *

><p><em>You may or may not wish to have a Tantalog translator with you, or you can hope to high heavens that Stitch learns some 'Murican soon. <em>


	11. The Garden Isle

_Well after a week (I think it's been that anyway) of nothing but doing an essay, it's time to return to what I call fun writing. Now we're talking, so without further ado, let's return to the world of Kingdom Hearts._

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 11<strong>

**The Garden Isle**

The ship slowed to a crawl just outside the world's orbit. For the amount of time Pete was there, he simply watched with a bored and the occasional yawn as ex-Captain Gantu (for he liked to often remind Pete that he had once been a captain) ranted and raved about some obsession he had for capturing the experiment that had nearly ruined his life.

Pete gave a nod every so often to give the appearance of listening but his mind was elsewhere. It had been ever since Maleficent had been taken down by the Keyblade Master. That was not to say he had been entirely fond of Maleficent's derision of him as an incompetent oaf but at least then he had a title he could be proud of, one to identify him by. He wasn't just an incompetent oaf, he was her incompetent oaf and that drastically changed whenever he performed well. For example, it had been he who had come across Abraxas in the first place as well as having assisted in the capture of the King and he had been greatly praised by Maleficent for doing so.

This was not the case with David Xanatos. The new leader of the syndicate now renamed as KRONOS was meticulous in every way, leaving absolutely nothing to chance. If, for some reason, there was even a degree of likelihood that a plan could fail, then that plan would be redrafted over and over until that degree of probability was lessened. Unfortunately for Pete, he was one of those degrees of probability. 'The weakest link' he had overheard them call him in a meeting that he had not attended because he had so conveniently been chosen for a mission in Radiant Garden at the time.

It was clear that Xanatos and pretty much everyone else in the room saw Pete as a liability and it was impossible to blame them. Apart from screwing up on multiple accounts, everyone knew the proximity of the relationship between Pete and Maleficent had been close and so allegiance wasn't likely to be gained overnight.

"Now is finally the chance I have been waiting for. You are stranded you little abomination and there is no way out for you now!" Gantu declared in a mighty roar.

"Hold it bub. Shouldn't we be more concerned about the three people on the ship instead? Y'know… the Keyblade wielders?" Pete pointed out after Gantu had finally stopped shouting. Their sensor had managed to pick up four lifeforms on the Gummi Ship ahead of them that had just blown its engine and was plummeting into the atmosphere below. One of these lifeforms, the scanner detected, showed signs of an artificially created yet destructive life form with an incredible level of intelligence and the ability to process information.

"Do you forget who you're speaking to? Bah, as if a bunch of pubescent hormone driven humans could ever stand a chance against me." Gantu replied. He flipped a few switches on the console as the ship steadily hovered over the world before becoming stationary once again. He dug into his pocket and pullet out to devices, throwing one of them to Pete. "Xanatos tech. We get in. We capture 626. We get out. These instant teleportation devices will beam down and back up in no time."

"Trust Xanatos to think one step ahead of the ole curb." Pete humored himself with covert sarcasm.

"And trust you not to mess this up. I know of your track record and if you even think about getting in my way-"

"Wouldn't dream of it. He's all yours." Pete replied resisting the urge to yawn.

"Oh, um… very good then. Yes, he's all mine and I WILL make him pay for what he has done!" Gantu repeated with just as equivocal a demeanor as before. After what had felt like hundredth session of laughter that day. Gantu finally gave the call to teleport down towards the strange new world. Gantu received nothing but an ambiguous smirk from Pete. After all, who was Pete to tell Gantu that he had another thing coming if he really believed taking on those three kids would be a walk in the park? No, Pete would absolutely just hate to spoil the surprise.

* * *

><p>It wasn't strange to Sora that tracking a small destructive alien would have proved difficult. The clump of trees in the area made for an easy hiding spot and if he wasn't there then there was still the dirt road that Stitch could have taken. If Riku's theory was correct about Stitch needing energy then it was likely that he would have headed for the next possible source of food. This thinking combined with the direction Stitch had been seen heading in helped to narrow down their search perimeter somewhat.<p>

As the single path continued, the dense palm trees became more spacious and eventually gave way to a beautiful sandy beach. It shouldn't have also come as a surprise that once again he was reminded of the islands, what with the shimmering waters and its accompanying waves rushing backwards and forwards along the shoreline. There were no doubt clear differences such as the beach seeming to extend around the island's huge circumference, or at least the side which he was on. Emerald green and dense forests draped over the island like a curtain with tall and pointy mountain spires in the background. It would be hard to argue that it was anything like the much smaller Destiny Islands if one were to purely look at it from appearance but it was the near identical atmosphere that hit home.

On his previous journey with Luna, he honestly had not put much thought into finding his islands. He had thought it a selfish wish at the time to mention in front of someone who had lost both their memory and home. Standing here now though made him wonder if such a wish was truly selfish at all. His desire to see his home had never been stronger and a part of him found it humorous that he had barely given much thought to look for his own world beforehand.

Riku soon joined him in staring at the ocean waters. "Something on your mind?" he asked digging his hands into his pockets.

"A lot of things, for example this place reminds me of our home a lot." Sora answered while keeping a fixed gaze on the horizon.

"I can understand that. I'm feeling the same. Sparring against each other with our wooden swords, playing Blitzball with Tidus and Wakka..."Riku tried to list with a thoughtful expression.

"School? Don't you dare say school." Sora warned letting out a chuckle in the process.

"It was the farthest thing from my mind, trust me." Riku replied allowing his own heartfelt laugh to escape from his lips. Even with the list Riku had mentioned, Sora found a strange feeling, or rather a lack of feeling when hearing these activities. It wasn't that he missed his friends but he couldn't deny that there was definitely a feeling of reluctance dwelling deep within as well. He wondered if there was something wrong with him.

Sora only had to glance Riku's way to catch sight of their target in the background sneaking his way over to the hotdog stand. He summoned the Kingdom Key and flicked his wrist launching a gravity blast at the creature. The small purple orb entrapped Stitch before expanding around him. However the creature seemed to show nothing indicating that he had been affected by this, jumping out from inside the blast and continuing on his rampage.

"Well that didn't slow him down. I guess he can withstand the increase in gravity." Riku gathered before rushing forward past the dazed few who had probably just witnessed their first act of magic. Sora attempted to follow but, feeling slightly heavier than usual, could only jog over with gritted teeth. Unfortunately his body was still recovering from the after effects of the poison. He felt weak but he tried not to show it in front of them as usual.

Stitch jumped onto the stand to the surprise of the vendor and snatched the buns out of his hands before throwing them at Riku. He sidestepped the incoming buns easily before throwing his Keyblade forward. Stitch jumped over the Way to the Dawn only to land closer to his catcher than he had been before. With a final push, Riku threw himself forward and tackled the creature, clutching him towards his chest as if he were an invaluable object.

"How are we going to contain that thing? I suppose we could just put it to sleep again but there's no guarantee it won't run away again the second we take our eyes off it." Sora said arriving at Riku's side. He knelt down and nodded at Riku. The silver haired teen seemed to understand what Sora was about to do and slowly unwrapped his around Stitch exposing him to Sora. "Hey Stitch. Terra, Ventus and Aqua told us about you. Remember them?"

Stitch's huge eyes rose up to meet Sora's, his face contorting into one of thought. "Terra… Ven… Aqua… friends…?" he questioned slowly.

"Right, they're our friends too. They told us that they helped you learn the meaning of that word, friendship. Well, other than just having people to talk to and have fun with them, a big part of that is also about seeing things from their eyes. So for example, if you were to put yourself in mine or Riku's shoes right now, not that you would need shoes but that's beside the point… anyway, if you did have feet and put yourself in our shoes, would you appreciate it with we did something you didn't like? We want to be your friends Stitch. We want to help you and have fun together, but we can't do that if you won't let us."

Stitch's ears twitched flexibly for a good while, a reflection of his inner pondering Sora and Riku would think. "Sorry." he eventually apologised as he lowered his head with a look of shame on his face. Sora turned his head to Riku enquiringly when he heard his friend let out a light chuckle.

"Looks like you have a way with words." he lauded with amusement.

"I do seem to recall a certain someone mentioning that my speeches were very cheesy." Sora pointed out to him with a teasing smile.

"They're not mutually exclusive." Riku admitted. Now this was what Sora called a natural conversation. It was the exchange of dialogue between him and Riku that didn't feel as stifling as it had done so back in Radiant Garden, one that didn't feel boorish or full of bitter feelings of intolerance and selfishness. Though the two had managed to evade returning to the conversation, Sora felt that the emotions were still there and their attempt to hide the fact that the conversation took place proved it.

Kairi calling to them broke Sora away from a recollection of tensions. She along with Lilo and Nani soon arrived at the hotdog stand. Nani in particular looked as if she had just seen a ghost. Her eyes were watching Stitch with weariness.

"I just contacted Aqua and told her about our problem. She says that she's on her way. I didn't ask but I guess she's going to stop by Radiant Garden for an engine before coming here." Kairi notified them. Other than that, there really wasn't anything else Aqua could contribute by coming here. In the meantime, Sora figured it would be best if they scavenged the island for any other objects pertaining to Gummi blocks.

"Kairi, I think you've confused our friends here." Riku said glancing back and forth between Kairi and the frightened Nani.

"Yeah… I think I slipped up halfway. Well that and seeing Keyblades in both you guys' hands probably didn't help." Kairi said feigning an innocent and yet at the same time completely guilty smile.

"It didn't really sound that convincing anyway. I guess we should explain what really is happening, though I don't think that explanation is totally convincing either." Sora said with nervous laughter.

"Hey, are you planning on paying for your pet?" the vendor alerted them to his presence. Suffice to say he looked absolutely furious at what had just happened. Fortunately since no damage had been caused to the cart itself, Nani (who had opted to pay in their stead) did not have to pay much. Once he was satisfied, Nani led Lilo, Stitch and the three strangers from the beach and back into the trees.

* * *

><p>The door closed behind them with a loud bang. Sora, Riku, Kairi and Lilo stared onward with startled faces as they watched Nani sneak around the room as if it wasn't her own, checking to make sure no visible light could come through from outside. The room went darker by the drawing of curtains until Nani felt there was no other possible source of light but that coming from the hallway.<p>

"Will someone PLEASE explain to me what is going on here? You are not secret agents!" Nani accused with a pointed finger. "And that's not any regular dog I've seen. I mean look at it! It's blue and-"

"Hey, don't discriminate against my friend here." Sora said thinking a jovial approach would help to lighten the mood. The crazy look in Nani's eyes proved that to be a failure however. He quickly re-treaded on his words. "I'm not sure you're going to believe but what the hey—we're not from this world but another one and this little thing, we call him Stitch, came down with us except that we didn't intend for him to come along with us, he kinda just sneaked on board. As for what he is, well he's an alien or I guess an experiment that was created by someone, I don't know all the details, you'd have to ask my friend Aqua when she gets here."

By the time the out of breath Sora had finished, both Nani and Lilo looked frozen rigid in their expressions and their movements like two perfectly crafted statues. Eventually they unfroze and gave way to reactions that challenged the trio's determination to keep straight faces.

"So you're still going to lie to us then?" Nani asked.

"Wait, what? No, he really is telling the truth. I mean it is kind of, no, I take that back… it is REALLY hard to believe but there are other worlds out there. I'll prove it to you. Have you ever seen any creatures that look really odd and weren't there before?" Kairi asked with an expectant glance switching between the two pairs of eyes staring at her. The change to a more uneasy demeanour spoke for their silence. Kairi continued, "Well those are what we call Heartless. Our job is to take care of them."

"Right, hence this…" Riku held out his hand to summon the evidence.

"Wow… that is so awesome!" Lilo screamed in delight. The reaction stupefied Riku and caused Sora and Kairi to chuckle. Her older sister however, didn't seem too impressed by this though it was clear that she was starting to believe them. Nani nodded her head and leaned against the wall with her hand over her mouth.

"You won't cause any trouble while you're here will you? You'll fix your ship and then you're out?" she asked struggling to quell any agitation in her voice.

"If that's what you want. We're looking for a friend so unless we find some reason to believe that she's here, then we'll be coming and going." Riku answered.

"Hey, if you are leaving do you think you can take me along with you?" Lilo asked.

"LILO, I-"

"I don't think your sister would be happy with that." Riku finished for Nani without shouting.

"It doesn't matter what she thinks. She's nothing but a big joykill!" Lilo remarked.

"It's killjoy, and I _so_ can be fun." Nani said parting from the wall. She grabbed the smaller girl and proceeded to give her a noogie, though this seemed to annoy Lilo more.

"Hey, stop that! You are so annoying sis." Lilo grunted. She managed to find her way out of her sister's grasp before leaving the room and running upstairs despite calls to come back from Nani.

"I see we've stepped in on a happy family." Kairi commented with cheerful sarcasm.

"Happy… that's a word you don't hear too much around here these, at least not since our parents died. I've been trying to make it… trying to look after her but she drives me absolutely nuts sometimes. She refuses to grow up." Nani explained. Sora needed only look at her appearance to see that what she was saying was true. Her face articulated the words fatigued and stressed clearly. How difficult it must have been to look after such a rambunctious sister all by herself especially after the death of their parents, Sora had no idea but surely that deserved an achievement in itself.

"Well she is just a kid so I'm sure she trying to deal with it in her own little way. I'm sorry to hear about your parents though. I lost my mom when I was young and Kairi lost her parents. For me, things were never the… forget it. I'm bothering you with my own problems. You have enough on your plate as it is." Riku said posing in a very Leon-like manner.

Sora watched in silence as Kairi, Riku and Nani consoled each other over their own losses. He couldn't say he had ever lost a parent and knowing that each of them had made him feel somewhat out of the picture. He had experienced a personal lost though in Yeul's death but he was trying to take Colette's advice about not thinking about it. He was losing.

Out of the corner of his eye, he managed to pick up on Stitch once again sneaking away from them and heading up the stairs. Making the excuse that he wanted to check up on Lilo, her sister gave approval allowing Sora to quickly leave the room and follow Stitch. As he slowly made his way up the stairs, he chose not to call after Stitch. He didn't think that Stitch would try to leave them again but Sora also couldn't help but be curious as to where he was going.

He reached the second floor landing and made sure he left as little sound as possible as he made his way to the one room near the back of the hallway that was slightly ajar. The closer he got to the door, the more he began to ruminate over the past. He felt like the child he had once been who would sneak back into his room after violating a curfew just to hang out on the other island for a while. It had felt as if the whole of the Destiny Islands had been a backyard or a garden for him to play in. He also supposed he had never been freer, for that was a time when all this weight that plunged him into a world of nightmares now had not been hanging on his shoulders. Now he'd be lucky if he could ever live a normal life, whatever that meant.

Sora peered through the door to see a most unexpected sight. Perched on her window and looking down at the water below (for the house was located right next to a cliff overlooking the sparkling sea) was Lilo chatting away amicably to Stitch who seemed to be listening to her every word. Sora watched with a smile as the creature nodded his head up and down while Lilo talked about topics that he probably didn't even understand.

Sora was about to retreat for downstairs when he made a wrong step, triggering a creak on the wooden floorboards. It was loud enough to cause Lilo to turn away from the window and Stitch to look at the direction the noise had come from.

"Sora?" she asked more in a way that indicated she wanted to make sure she got his name right.

"Busted. You got me." Sora replied pushing open the door and raising his hands with a guilty smile. He walked over to the window and looked outside in curiosity.

"Did my sister send you?" Lilo asked, an irritation stirring just underneath the surface of her voice.

"No, I came for Stitch but it doesn't look like he's bothering you or anything," Sora noted. "You know my room looks just like this, with the window overlooking the sea and lots of toys and comic books stacked around. It's also rather messy… my clothes were all over the floor…" Sora remembered back to the time when he had fallen into a deep sleep in order to recover his memories. At that time, everyone had forgotten who he was. This included his parents so the image of them cleaning their son's room without knowing who was occupying the room was a hilarious one. Even during that period of forgetting him, they had never once thought to clear the room of its possessions. While his existence had been forgotten, it certainly hadn't disappeared for good. It had been like they were waiting for someone, or knew that the room had a special reason for being as it was.

"What is your home like? Uh, you're from another… world you said?" Lilo questioned. There was no surprise that she was confused by the whole concept, and it probably wasn't just because she was a child.

"Right, worlds. Kinda confusing huh? I mean my world wa- is pretty similar to this one actually. It's an island with a beach, and a sea and… stuff." Sora said.

"Stuff?" Lilo repeated inquisitively.

"Well, we had this game back on the island called Blitzball. I played it occasionally along with my friends Tidus and Wakka. And then we often had sparring matches between me and Riku over silly things like dares." Sora explained scratching at his cheek lightly. Most of the dares he had fought over then now seemed hard to believe, especially when they related to Kairi. "There were two islands so I would take a boat from my actual home to the other where it was like a giant playground, or, if you excuse the pun, a giant sandbox."

"Sounds like heaven compared to here. Hey, if you are going if you can't take me then can you take someone else? Her name is Mertle. She's in my classes and she's nothing but a bully to me. Can you make her disappear with that key thing of yours?" Lilo inquired.

"Disappear? I'm not a magician, no," Sora said before leaning in and whispering in her ear, "though if you want revenge, that's another thing entirely."

Lilo giggled before running over to her bed and grabbing a really… ugly doll that was lying on her pillow. "This is Scrump, my friend… my only friend really, until I met you guys anyway." Lilo said holding him up.

"He looks… nice." Sora almost squeaked. "Where did you buy him?"

"Buy him? I made him!"

_Don't sound so proud about that! _Sora wanted to yell out. Instead he faked a smile and complimented Lilo on her handy stitching. His mind was elsewhere however. Lilo had just admitted that she had no friends except for the inanimate object in her grasp. Had this been before her parents' deaths or after the fact? Either way, Sora knew that having no friends was probably the worst possible thing in the world. He felt the need to leave his islands just because he feared Riku and Kairi leaving him behind.

"Sora! We're heading out to look for spare Gummi parts!" Riku's voice bellowed from downstairs.

"Be right there!" Sora yelled back before looking at Stitch thoughtfully.

"Don't worry, I can look after him. We'd just started talking about things when you came in." Lilo assured him.

"Okay, I'll leave him up to you. But don't be afraid to give him a good talking if he gets a little too rowdy." Sora said. When Lilo nodded, he smiled and turned to walk out of the room. He stopped just outside of the door and was about to close it when he heard Stitch repeat the word Lilo had just taught him. "Ohana, huh?" Sora repeated with a whisper before leaving them.

* * *

><p>It was to be expected, but finding Gummi pieces proved a lot more difficult than it usually did. Every now and then, scattered space junk would be subject to the world's gravity when it got to close and would fall down. According to the King, that gravity was held in place by the keyhole, and if the Heartless were to find and take the keyhole, then the gravity of the world would "go all funny pal." This was how Sora had come across them on his previous journeys along with Donald and Goofy, but on those journeys it was usually that the Gummi pieces found them and not the other way around.<p>

Right now not only was it them trying to search for the pieces but a problem also arose in the type of terrain they were on. They were on an island with trees surrounding them for miles. Taking that into consideration, it would be almost next to impossible to find a Gummi piece conveniently lying around.

Riku proposed starting with the beach as it was the most exposed area. In Sora's head he was playing around with the idea that if gravity was what attracted the blocks, then it was probably somewhere near the keyhole that was the most likely place to find them. Of course that entailed finding the keyhole in the first place so that immediately put a stopper on that theory for the time being.

Riku watched as Sora called out Yuna, Rikku and Paine to help them before saying, "Let's all split up and search around the beach. We'll meet back at this spot in the next hour with our results."

This sounded reasonable to Sora, after all they hadn't even covered a tenth of the beach that extended around the island. The six explorers split up in different directions and set off. Sora took enjoyment in the familiar soft yet crunchy sounds of sand underneath his feet as he walked down the beach. He almost half expected to see another small island somewhere where there was a tree containing Paopu fruit. In front of him, a group of people were playing a game of volleyball. He had played a few matches himself back on the island and his sparring matches with Riku had certainly paid off when it came to increasing his reaction time.

_Hmm, kind of wish I could play right now. Maybe I can! Thirty minutes is all I need, then I'll start looking for that Gummi block, _Sora promised himself (albeit very painfully) before making an effort to raise his hand eagerly. He was about to call out to them when human flesh grabbed at his wrist and pulled him into the trees next to him. Sora fell backwards into the foliage with a startled look on his face, and maintained that expression as he looked up into the eyes of his mystery attacker.

"What the h-"

"Hey, no questions from you. Just sit down like a good little boy and then maybe I'll let you go." The girl said. She spent the next few seconds inspecting Sora closely giving nods and murmurs of approval here and there.

Regardless of the girl's words, Sora felt the need to speak. "Who are you?"

The girl smirked and shook her head. "What, did Sea Salt never tell you about me? I'm the one who has the answer to your biggest question."

* * *

><p><em>*Insert Doctor Who theme here* No really, that was actually how I imagined that last line playing out in my head. Darn you Steven Moffat. Anyway, until next time folks keep up with the likes and reviews, they are greatly appreciated!<em>


	12. Parting Waves

_What time is it? It's Aqua time... and insert some Saturday Night Live sketch somewhere here._

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 12<strong>

**Parting Waves**

Stormfall whizzed upwards in a blaze of purple and struck the Heartless across the face causing it to yelp and retreat further into the mines. It showed all the characteristics of what Sora had described a Chimera to be but Aqua wasn't so sure that she was going to be able to contain this one. It seemed too far gone, having acted ferociously upon first seeing her and it had proved so far that it was too unyielding and stubborn to hear her words, if it could hear them at all.

It had been three months since she had learned of the existence of these new breed of Heartless, and the shocking revelation still proved to be very much that today. It was hard to believe that someone would have kidnapped people at random only to experiment on them and turn them into monsters. It was outright barbaric, and yet Aqua as a Keyblade Master had been unable to assist Sora and the others in capturing him. Had she been there with them at the time, she might have been able to have prevented the loss of their friend.

Aqua ran through the network of tunnels that connected to each other in a very confusing way. The Chimera could have been anywhere, and this one in particular had an act for running away. A few Neo Shadows sprang out from behind her and attacked, knocking her into a wall. She raised her Keyblade sending out a Shockwave Pulsar. Two orbs shot forward and engulfed the Neo Shadows before exploding and wiping them out. She pressed on.

She was halfway through another tunnel when a bright light erupted from her pocket. Had something gone wrong already? Aqua reached into her pocket and pulled out her Wayfinder giving it a good stare for a second before a voice came out of it.

"Aqua, are you there?" Kairi's voice came out as a strange echo that reverberated down the tunnel walls.

"I'm here though you've kind of caught me at bad time. It's not your fault of course. What's your situation Kairi?" Aqua asked.

"I'm still single."

"Excuse me?" Aqua replied in confusion at Kairi's answer.

"Oh, I'm just joking. It was just the way you said it, you reminded me of… anyway, that's not the point. We kind of have a serious problem on our hands over here. Our engine's dead and we're stranded in a world called Kauai. We're probably to see if we can find any spare parts but that might not be possible." Kairi summarized.

Aqua considered her words carefully before nodding her head even though Kairi wouldn't have been able to have seen it. "Alright, I'll try to find you three. Just keep the wayfinder activated until I get there, okay?" she assured Kairi.

"OK, we'll see you… oh crap. Uh, it isn't what it looks like, ha ha ha. I need to go now, bye." The sudden abrupt stop to the conversation surprised Aqua and coupled along with the awkward laughter near the end, it didn't seem too good on Kairi's end.

To make matters worse, as soon as Kairi's voice faded off, another sound took its place, a humanely set of yells coming from farther down the tunnel. Aqua set off once more down the earthy underpass at a much faster pace. The tunnels seemed to climb downwards like a hill at a steady yet certain pace until she emerged out in another huge area to see the Chimera's back turned to her.

"Why are you here?" She asked in irritation. She was able to just barely identify seven dwarfs that were cowering away in the corner as the creature slowly approached them. She had met them previously before coming here and had expressly told them not to go wandering in after they heard wails coming from inside.

"No need to blow a gasket over it! We just couldn't help ourselves!" Grumpy bleated.

"Now if y- you'd b-b-be so kind as to h-help us…" Bashful stammered tripping over his own words as usual.

Aqua sighed before raising her Keyblade and casting Triple Firaga. The heated blasts connected in three different areas, striking first in the Chimera's back, the next its neck and finally the right temple leaving the creature growling. Another Triple Firaga. This time, the Chimera expected it, knocking all three shots back at Aqua with his hand. Aqua only just had time to raise her barrier but the surprise deflection had still been enough to knock her backwards into a wall.

Aqua placed her hands against the wall, waited and watched as the Chimera moved in to attack her. "Seeker Mine!" she yelled just before it could make contact with her and then cartwheeled out of the way. A glowing glyph formed on the wall that immediately exploded when it made contact with the Chimera's head blowing it off. The body remained in place for a while before eventually withering away and turning into dust particles. These black flickers of dust surrounded the area like suspended snowflakes before disappearing soon after the heart had disappeared into thin air.

"HA-HA! Now that oughta sow 'em- I mean show 'em, yessiree." Doc corrected himself quickly.

"You know, I've always had a talent for blowing minds when they least expect it." Aqua said revelling in her own pun for a second before remembering Kairi's situation. "Oh, I have to go. Please, whatever you do, do not go wandering of into danger again. I won't except that you couldn't help it as an answer. I'll be taking Snow White with me and I may not know when she'll return but I promise you that I'll keep her safe until then."

"But what about those mysterious objects and that log- er, fog?" Doc asked.

"Fog?" Aqua repeated not knowing what they were talking about. While it was true that she had come across very strange objects throughout the mine that almost seemed as if they didn't belong to this world, she had seen nothing resembling fog.

_Wait a minute. Didn't Riku mention something about this? _Aqua remembered back to a brief and confusing conversation back in Radiant Garden. After Yen Sid had announced who each Princess of Heart had been assigned to, Riku had pulled her aside and had mentioned something about mysterious objects appearing out of nowhere here. She mentally slapped herself for having completely forgotten about the conversation until now.

"Okay, show me where this fog is."

* * *

><p>Aqua uttered an audible sigh of relief as she set foot on unknown land. As the usual, the ride to and from worlds certainly didn't seem to be getting any easier. In fact, she could swear it was becoming the opposite.<p>

This had been from the Dwarf Woodlands to Radiant Garden, which thankfully hadn't been that long a journey. The journey to this world had been easier. All she had to do was ask Master Yen Sid to use the Wayfinder as a bridge to teleport her to the world, though it hadn't exactly put her near Kairi as far as she could see.

As much as she was reluctant to say this, she longed for the days when she was fighting the Unversed. Though they had been the start of much trouble in her and her other two friends' lives, they were at least simplistic. They reflected and were attracted to negative thoughts, something which you couldn't really find in the lanes between and so her journeys to other worlds were often a tranquil experience.

This wasn't to say things weren't complicated back then. Xehanort and Vanitas had made sure of that not to mention the sudden feud that had made a mountain out of a molehill almost tearing Terra, Ven and her apart. Of course their friendship wasn't so weak as to destroy their bonds completely but by then it was too late.

Even then, she could still attribute blame partly for her motherly concern. At times she felt that it had even taken precedent over the equality of their friendship. These past few months had been her trying to repackage herself in a new light that made her seem more carefree, hence the knee length camo pants and waistcoat over a plain white tank top. Of course it had been Kairi who had picked the outfit for her, though she wasn't entirely sure how she felt about it herself. Maybe it was too much…

She wondered what she could have been doing were it not for both Alice and Luna's disappearances. Not that she considered it a nuisance but she had drafted an entire list of thing she and everyone else could have done as a kind of reunion. The Sea Salt Ice Cream had definitely been up there—and yes, it had been one of the first things she had done after Xehanort had been defeated but only with Terra and Ven. She had heard from Kairi that she and the others had made Sea Salt Ice Cream as a part of a competition with hilarious results. She wanted to do another one but with current circumstances, such an event was unforeseeable for the future.

There was also the wedding. Astra had never really been good with weddings, mainly because she had never been to one but she had always pictured as a little girl what one would be like. Those were fairy tale weddings. When it came to reality that was something very different, and when Rinoa had brought up the topic of her dress, Aqua could only cease up like someone who had just been asked to answer an impossible question.

_We'll get there when we get there, _were Aqua's thoughts on the matter. That was a mission entirely in itself. Right now she had a Gummi engine she needed to deliver to her friends. The only way she could have ever carried such a thing from one world to another was to use the third dimension spell.

She figure it would be best if she contacted Kairi from here to ask where she was, though even that wouldn't matter if she didn't know where she was herself. She pulled out the still glowing Wayfinder and was about to speak into it when two voices somewhere nearby caught her attention.

Both voices sounded familiar, though one more so than the other. Over ten years ago, she had heard this voice having belonged to what was questionably someone suffering from a case of multiple personality. Just less than a year ago, she had met him when he was working for Maleficent. There was simply no way she could forget Pete, or Captain Justice, or Captain Dark, or… whatever he called himself these days.

"And just where do ya think we're gonna find that pipsqueak of yours in a place like this?" Pete boomed as he usually did.

"Well the little Trog is programmed to destroy cities according to the reports by his maker. If there's one nearby, that's where we'll find him and settle the score for good." The other voice was deeper in contrast. Confident and smug. Aqua felt as if she had come across such a voice before but she couldn't remember whose it belonged to.

The only way to find out of course was to get closer. Aqua set off in the direction of the voices and began to hide behind the trees as they grew closer. Somewhere nearby she could hear the sound of waves in the distance, possibly indicating a coastline nearby. The type of trees she was using as cover were also reminiscent of Kairi, Sora and Riku's home but the area surrounding certainly wasn't the same. Was it possible she was on an island then?

_This is Kauai, huh?_

Her immediate thought was that this would be a nice vacation spot to hang out in the group's free time. The tropical climate was considerably warm enough to make for some fun memories. The appearance of the two suspicious characters quickly made her remember that there was a time and a place for indulging in joyful leisure and this was not one of them.

Aqua immediately identified the second individual leading Pete as Gantu, an extra-terrestrial being who Aqua had fought once along with Experiment 626.

_Experiment 626…_

The epiphany hit her like a ton of bricks, though she didn't care much for the phrase because that would have been extremely painful. All of sudden it made sense who it was by which Gantu referred to as 'Trog' and maybe, just maybe, why Kairi's and the group's Gummi Ship had crashed.

So she had a choice then. She could either find Kairi and the others before they did or…

Before she even knew what she was doing, Aqua had stepped out of her cover. "Hey boneheads. If you've got a score to settle with someone, you've found them!"

* * *

><p>"You're Astra, right?" Sora realized looking up into the eyes of Luna's best friend. It really couldn't have been anyone else, especially when considering what Luna had told him back at Radiant Garden's library: "<em>But Astra really was my best friend… she was my only friend, she meant a lot to me<em>."

"So she did tell you after all." Astra remarked.

"Well, yeah." Sora said noticing a frown on the girl's face. One of the things that caught his eye was the armor pad on her shoulder similar to Terra, Ven and Aqua's. If this girl was working with someone else then Sora had to be wary of the validity of whatever information she was about to give. "You said you had the answer to my biggest question, and if my question is the same as your question I'm guessing your answer has to relate to where Luna is. Please tell me, where is she?"

Astra snorted and stared cold icy daggers straight at Sora as she spoke. "Whoa, you can beg all you want _hero_ but I don't just give answers for free, or at least not this one. After all why would I immediately trust the person who doomed Luna to said place in the first place?"

Sora couldn't believe it. If she wasn't willing to give him answers in the first place then why drag him into the trees only to tease him about it? Well he supposed he had just answered his own question but it didn't explain why she had come all this way for it. Surely she couldn't be that cruel.

His answer was in her words though, or at least a part of it. They contained a bitter hatred behind them combined with blatant sarcasm. It was clear that she held a grudge against him, and Sora couldn't blame her. He very much blamed himself for what happened to Luna, but that didn't mean he was going to stand by and let Astra demoralise him from saving her either.

"If you don't give answers for free, then what do you want in exchange?" Sora asked.

"I want you to fight me." Astra said summoning her Keyblade and pointing it straight at Sora's chest. An ambiguity took over that made it hard to guess what she was possibly thinking or how she felt.

Sora had to admit, he had expected anything but this. _She can't be serious can she? When it comes to experience I'd mop the floor with her, _Sora thought. Or was there more to this than she was letting on, like some secret underhanded tactic? Judging by her poker face, Sora couldn't be sure that she hadn't revealed her full hand yet. If Riku were here, he would allow the situation to play out and assess it before making any rash decisions. Sora figured it was best to take that approach here.

"I accept, if you answer one thing for me. What's in it for you?" Sora asked.

"You'll find out once we fight." Astra replied. "But know that I won't hold back. Sound good? Or is the Keyblade Master too chicken to handle a weak girl like me?"

_Oh she is definitely egging me on. Like I'm going to fall for that! _Sora thought before standing up and summoning the Kingdom Key. "Luna told me you're supposed to be pretty athletic. I'd hardly see that as weak. Even then, I don't care much for you egging me on so I think I'll allow experience to do the talking for me," he answered with a smug grin.

A replicating grin appeared on Astra's face before motioning for Sora to follow her farther into the trees. Sora was followed meanwhile being mindful of his surroundings and wary of Astra. Eventually the two reached a clearing that was perfect for their duel. The sounds of people having fun on the beach were still fairly audible in the distance so they hadn't gone that far. What was annoying was that he had promised the others that he would also assist them in finding Gummi blocks, and then he thought it would have been a good idea to play volleyball and now he was entangled in something much more complicated because of that.

The two entered their battle stances, each one trying to read their opponent before the battle had even started. Sora knew that the best way to deal with her would be to finish her off fast and quick before she could reveal any tricks up her sleeve.

Astra eventually started by swinging the Keyblade upwards and letting go. The vertical strike raid flew forward and was predictably easy enough for Sora to dodge. Once again Sora waited as it came back round to turn his back and dodge it again. That's what Astra had been counting on. Sora turned around to see Astra right in front of him. She drove her fist into his stomach.

Sora doubled over in pain and was left grasping for air. The gnawing feeling produced by the punch resided there as he tried to contemplate what had fully happened. As he had expected, she did have more than enough tricks up her sleeve and he still hadn't been prepared for it. He forced himself back up off the ground and kept his Keyblade trained on her.

_What the- no… Not now! _Sora yelled inwardly as he watched his hand tremble in front of him, and the Keyblade along with it. There was a sudden weight on his body causing him to exert pressure on it just to keep standing. It was the same stiffness in his body that had been affecting him since he drank the poison, and what I time it had picked to start acting up again. No, perhaps he should have been mindful of his condition from the start when he had accepted Astra's proposal. _No, I can still fight. I just have to be quick about this_. He gripped the Keyblade with both hands to steady it before running forward.

Astra avoided the next set of reckless swings from Sora before attempting to stab downwards at his exposed thigh. Sora twisted around the Keyblade before it could make contact, dropped the Kingdom Key and grabbed the Midnight Mauve's length before tugging. Astra was sent flying forwards having held onto the guard but she quickly rebalanced, pivoted and guarded against an oncoming vertical slash.

Sora's eyes widened as he caught Astra's hand glowing a bright orange. He relaxed the Keyblade off of Astra's and jumped to the side just to see a blast of fire whiz past him and hit the tree parallel to its user's location.

_She's using magic with her free hand? Is she crazy? _Sora commented as Aqua walked forward keeping her unarmed hand raised and shooting spits of fire. Despite being in awe, Sora managed to knock away each shot with the Kingdom Key as he moved in. Once near her, he lunged forward with a strike only for her to dodge roll under it and out of harm's way.

"You're pretty good for a newbie. Most people I know wouldn't use magic with their free hand. It's pretty dangerous." Sora told her.

"Well I'm not most people," Astra said before allowing Midnight Mauve to disappear in her hands, "and neither are you. I think that's all I need to see, at least for now. Looks like we have some company anyway."

Sora followed Astra's glare past him to where Yuna had just emerged from the trees followed by Riku. Yuna looked quite triumphant and smug. "See? I told you that I saw them heading this way!" she bragged.

"Uh, I don't recall saying I doubted you." Riku said before summoning his Keyblade. "And who are you supposed to be?"

"Why hello to you too sexy." Astra mockingly flirted. It had been enough to send Riku into a stupor. Seeing this, she shook her head sagaciously. "Of course, so this is the woman's charm that makes you guys all fall like dominoes. You men are all the same. Oh sorry, was that sexist?"

"Riku, it's okay. She's Luna's friend." Sora informed him taking great pleasure in trying to ignore Astra's witty banter for the time being.

Riku looked from Sora towards the stranger suspiciously before lowering his Keyblade but still keeping it at his waist in the instance she tried something. "Astra? Then why were you fighting with Sora?"

"They say you can tell a lot about a person when you're in the midst of battle." Astra said. It was a strange sensation to Sora but he could understand where she was coming from. While they were fighting, Sora could see the passion and determination in her eyes to find her friend. At that point, it didn't seem to matter why she wanted to fight with him in the first place because in a way he could already tell why. She wanted to know who he truly was, and when one was fighting, it was impossible to hide behind any false pretence.

"So are you going to tell us where Luna is?" Sora asked eagerly.

"Whoa hold on there cowboy, my answer might not even be right. It's just a theory as of now but I won't know until I get there." Astra said, her vivid green eyes flickering between the three people in front of her. "I think she might be in the realm of darkness."

Sora and Riku gave each other looks before the latter decided to ask, "And what makes you think that's the case?"

"The fog, or should I say background radiation? I don't know much about it but what I do know is that the Heartless are attracted to areas with that radiation. Not just the artificial ones, but pureblood Heartless as well. I've been rolling the idea around in my head that maybe the conditions between the radiation and the realm of darkness are the same, hence it being favorable to the Heartless. I've never been to the realm of darkness so I couldn't tell you that much but-"

"No, you'd be right about that," Riku agreed. "Having been there myself and also having been in that fog now that you mention it, they definitely felt familiar, like they were connected somehow."

Having never been to the Dark Realm before aside from being near the edge of it once, Sora couldn't have made the connection. Riku was different because he had journeyed its depths along with the King in order to find Aqua. Therefore with the surprising confirmation by Riku, there wasn't exactly any reason to doubt Astra's theory but…

Seeing the thoughtful look on Riku's face, Sora intervened in an attempt to change his mind. "Look, we have nothing to lose right? If there's a chance that she's there then I'll take it." he said.

"Absolutely beautiful. The voice of reason!" Astra said gesturing to Sora. "All I ask is that you take me there along with you when you go. As much as I hate to admit it, I can't go in alone and expect to come out alive."

"What about your friends at Moira's Crescent? Surely they'd be willing to help you." Riku addressed the topic that was on both his and Sora's minds though the latter was much more reluctant to bring it up.

"So you know the name of their group huh? Pretty silly name in my opinion. But they can't help me with this, not like the person who befriended her and then made her suffer can." Astra gibed. The growl of annoyance that escaped Sora's mouth at that moment was not lost on Aqua, who smiled sweetly at her successful scorn. Once she had gotten over her own satisfaction she added, "That doesn't mean I'm switching sides or anything. I couldn't give a hornet's nest about either you or Moira's Crescent. I just want my friend back. So will you help me?"

* * *

><p><em>I didn't realize this until now but Aqua and Astra sound really similar. Some strange oversight I'm sure... speaking of Astra, fun fact: Her character is somewhat based on the criticisms of Kingdom Hearts II, what with it's turn for the convoluted. So Astra is basically what the first Kingdom Hearts game is, simplistic, charming and witty. She's also part Hugh Laurie, but that's another thing entirely ;)<br>_


	13. A Single Word

_Time for summary of the story so we don't have to go through a recap chapter sometime in the future (screw you nickelodeon -_-). This story and the one before it follow all the Kingdom Hearts games except for DDD (because I don't care for that game- actually no, it just came out after I started on Dual Destinies) with the exception of Lea getting a Keyblade. It's also set after a possible KH3 where Xehanort has lost and was unable to restart the Keyblade War. Just getting that out of the way in case anyone is wondering how this could possibly be after KH3 (yes, I have gotten those reviews). _

_Luna after recovering her memories and discovering the truth about the destruction of her world in Dual Destinies, is now stuck in the Realm of Darkness. On top of that, we have a mysterious puzzle box that needs solving and a group of Keyblade wielders who want Sora dead for some reason. That's the basic gist of it, so without further ado let's continue the story._

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 13<strong>

**A Single Word**

"Wait a second… you! Don't I know you from somewhere?" Gantu accused pointing his fat stubby finger at Aqua. She simply reached out and summoned her Keyblade in an attempt to jog his memory. If they thought they were going to capture Stitch, they had another thing coming.

"Hey, you're one of the Keyblade wielders who ruined my chances at getting the Million Dreams Award!" Pete yelled angrily.

"Uh, are you still upset about that…Captain Justice?" Aqua said remembering the alter ego's name he used to refer to himself as.

Gantu turned to Pete. "Captain Justice?" he repeated with a questioning glance.

"Heeeey, weren't you busy catchin' an alien or somethin'?" Pete slammed wanting to move away from the embarrassing subject.

"That's it, after I taken care of this runt and have secured the little Trog, you and I are going to have a drink and dare say by the time I'm finished with you you'll have told me all about this embarrassing secret of yours. They say Balrog's Hard Nine is a truth serum of the liar. I've personally never had some so I'm interested to see the results with someone as incompetent as you." Gantu snickered as he took something out of his pocket.

"Heh, guess I'm gonna have to miss out then 'cause there's no way you're gonna be able to beat a Keyblade wielder like her." Pete said confidently.

"I'd listen to him if I were you." Aqua said hesitantly. She was surprised that Pete was so sure of an outcome not in their favor.

"Now I remember you. You were the one who got in the way of me capturing the fugitive and his little experiment. You got me demoted and now you are going to get in my way again!" Gantu realized before shaking his head and laughing. "Oh, Lady Luck is too kind to me! Well, thanks to Yzma I have a little trick up my sleeve this time."

"Yzma?" Aqua was about to enquire further into the name when liquid travelled through the air and landed on her face. A stinging sensation similar to multiple bee stings on contact caused her to scream out loud. Quickly she attempted to swipe the moisture away from her face. Her eyes opened and she looked at Gantu in shock, or rather she looked up at Gantu for the scenery around her had changed considerably and so had he and Pete. The two stood like giants towering over the tiny Aqua who only measured the size of Pete's shoes. Had she become smaller or had the world just grown around her? When she phrased the question it automatically made more sense for the former to be the correct answer.

"Fee-fi-fo-fum, you're so tiny I could crush you with my thumb." Gantu roared stomping his foot hard on the ground. The earth shook and Aqua fell forward unable to keep her balance.

"Didn't think you would have a plan in advance. This'll be interesting." Pete said.

"Stay out of this. She's mine." Gantu said before pulling out his blaster from its holster.

"Like an old spaghetti western. How cliché." Aqua said having seen a few of them along with Terra back in the early days of her training. They had grown to be her favorite type of genre aside from romance films much to the surprise of Terra and her former master. "The bigger they are the harder they fall."

Aqua knew that she couldn't let this disadvantage scare her. She had to make the most out of the situation no matter how limited her resources. No, that wasn't necessarily true. What she had first thought to be a disadvantage could easily turn out to be a pretty big advantage for her depending on whether she realized it. Her training sessions with Master, Terra and Ventus had taught her as much.

_-Flashback-_

Ventus collapsed to the ground for the fifth time. Aqua heard him grunt in frustration as watched as he tried to stand back up.

"Come on Ven, is that the best you can do?" his opponent, Terra asked, also watching as Ven struggled and failed to get back up.

"I… can't do it. I'm sorry but, it's too much." Ven submitted. Aqua could see tears forming and welling up in his eyelids. That was when she decided to intervene.

"Terra, stop! You're taking this too far!" she yelled standing up on the steps she had been sitting on.

"Aqua, how else is he going to get better if he doesn't face his fears? He's scared of something, and I want to help him to figure out what that is. It's what Master would do." Terra said. It had been two months since Ven had been sent to the Land of Departure by Master Xehanort and he had shown considerable growth in the short amount of time that he had been here. No longer was he the unresponsive shell he was until up to a month ago, but being with Aqua and Terra had helped him to come out of that shell. In just that month he had managed to gain a best friend in Terra and Aqua could even see them as brothers with the way they always were protective of one another and pushing the other to their fullest.

This time though, it had gone too far. Ven clearly wasn't able to handle the stress induced by Terra's training and it was clear that he hadn't gotten over what demons haunted his heart. She could understand Terra's enthusiasm to crack the mask that Ven used to shield away his nightmares but she felt it was too soon.

"Terra, I know you look up to Master but doing this isn't a way to please him." Aqua accused. She immediately regretted said accusation.

"You think I'm doing this out of some benefit that I'll be seen as some golden light to the Master? I'm doing it because I'm Ven's friend and that's all the reason I'll ever need to do it." Terra said.

"Please, stop fighting. I hate it when you do that." Ven cut in before Aqua could reply. It was true that Terra and Aqua had different ideas on how to help Ven and that in turn had led to an increase in arguments between the two but it was hard to say they were ever angry at each other. The fact was that sometimes Terra was slightly disappointed in his ability to please his father-like figure and especially once Aqua had arrived as a new pupil. Sometimes it even felt like a competition, but the two believed it to be a healthy one. They wanted to push each other towards their goals.

Likewise though, Aqua had her own desires. She perhaps saw a special link between Terra and the Master that she, no matter how hard she tried, couldn't get in between. Terra felt for both the Master and Ven in a way that Aqua never could. For Ven at best she found herself in a motherly role, a relationship a lot different than the one between two close brothers. For that, she was jealous but it wasn't like she was going to let trivial things like that ruin her friendship with her best friend. Terra and Aqua had practically grown up together and even if they didn't agree over some things, they still respected each other's opinions and worked amazingly well together.

"Don't worry Ven, we weren't fighting," Aqua assured him and nodded at Terra before reaching to help Ven up. "Is it too hard for you Ven? Maybe you should rest up and try again later."

Ven however shook his head unsurely. "I don't think that's it. I'm trying my hardest, I really am but… I don't think that I could ever catch up to you guys. You two are always pushing forward and trying your hardest, and you get somewhere with that. I can see you two making Masters in no time at all. But me… I feel like I'm at a disadvantage whenever I try. You two have so much experience and I feel like I'm just being dragged behind and slowing you down… I think that's what's holding me back." he said sadly.

Terra and Aqua exchanged looks with each other before laughing. Ven hated it when they did that. Aqua knew it made him seem like he was a child being looked down upon. Even so, his concerns were such that there was no way they couldn't laugh, not to spite him, but to encourage him that his worries were misplaced.

It was the unexpected arrival of Master Eraqus however, that truly quelled Ven's fears. "Do not worry Ventus, for you have something that neither Terra nor Aqua have."

"What's that master?" Terra asked in his usual studious tone whenever near the master.

"Innocence. It may sound ridiculous at first but it is rather important. While an experienced person such as you Terra may see the world in one way, a greenhorn such as Ventus may see the world in another. In one of the worlds I've visited during my life as a Keyblade wielder, they believed that new-born hearts were born into this world innocent and filled with pure light. It is only when that heart comes into contact with outside interference from other hearts that the darkness begins to manifest. Now I cannot claim to believe in such a tale but there is some merit in dissecting it and comparing it to the world around us." Master Eraqus said placing his hand on Ven's shoulder.

"So you're saying that what Ven considers a disadvantage may actually be an advantage? That if we were living that tale, he would be the one less tainted by darkness because he's seen less of the world?" Aqua said.

"Yes, and as with all myths, fairy tales and fables, there are always lessons to be learned. What will become self-evident in time Ventus is that power is born within the heart. You only need look inside you to know that you are not alone, and that all the strength you'll ever need will come from those who have formed a bond with that heart." Eraqus answered.

_-End Flashback-_

Aqua raced forward dodging green blasts as soon as Gantu started firing them off. As each one imploded on the ground they created several rippling sparks which veered off in different directions making it harder for Aqua to get to her opponent. As blast from her right signalled her to stop and redirect the attack by putting up her barrier. The blast hit Gantu square in the face causing him to double back.

"Urgh, just stay still why don't you." Gantu snarled.

"And let you catch me? That doesn't sound very feasible to me." replied Aqua. Gantu attempted to swat furiously at her but she evaded the long arm easily by using doubleflight to jump onto his arm.

"Gah- Pete, help me get this human off me!" Gantu asked swatting helplessly and failing to shake off the glued on Aqua.

"I thought I remember you telling me to 'stay out of this' or somethin' to that effect." Pete said with a shrug as if to say it wasn't his problem.

"Well, permission granted to help now!" roared Gantu furiously. Pete shook his head and sighed before moving in to grab Aqua. She would personally have preferred if he had just walked away but two certainly wasn't anything to fret over either. She had handled more than enough gigantic opponents when she had been in the Realm of Darkness. This was child's play in comparison. She jumped onto Gantu's shoulder and aimed her Keyblade at Pete casting a Fission Firaga. The attack connected with Pete's head causing him to yelp in pain and squirm about with thrashing arms.

"Hey, watch it- OW!" Gantu was interrupted as he was punched in the face by a blinded Pete. Aqua took this proximity as her chance to jump onto Pete arms throwing a Triple Blizzaga at Gantu. Icy crystals smacked Gantu in different areas of his body, sending him off his feet and onto the ground.

* * *

><p>Sora had managed to convince Riku to change his mind in the past and vice versa. Not this time it seemed, as neither one seemed to budge from their attitudes regarding Astra travelling with them. It was humorous that Astra was simply tapping her feet away rhythmically why Sora and Riku were whispering aggressively at each other like they were trying to see who could get the last word in.<p>

"She's with Moira's Crescent. We can't trust her!"

"If she wanted to lure me into a trap she would have done so by now."

"She's only using you to find Luna. Once she's found her, who knows what she's going to do. She's too unpredictable to keep around," Riku said giving her a glance before looking back at Sora. "Hers is the kind that is only interested in her own personal interests. When the time comes I doubt she'll hesitate to stab you in the back if she sees the opportunity. We have a guess to Luna's location—that's enough. We don't need the extra drama being carried around in the group."

"Drama that will only be created if we keep distrusting each other, as you're doing right now," Sora pointed out before adding, "and when the time comes I will take personal responsibility for her actions. What's the harm with at least trying to reason with her?"

"This is a bad idea…" Riku disapproved with a frown.

"I'm not going to abandon Luna's friend," Sora said. It was all he needed or had to say on the matter. Turning away from Riku, he walked over to Astra and gave her a confirmed nod. "We'll let you come along as long as you promise to do every single thing we tell you. Sound good?"

"On a scout's honor sir." Astra promised holding up three fingers.

Not caring much for her sarcastic humor, Sora felt it best that they return to the beach to meet with Kairi, Rikku and Paine. Knowing that they must have been worried sick about him, that worry made him remember how he had come to be here in the first place. Indeed, it was very strange how wanting to play a game of volleyball had turned into something much more.

Riku seeming to have similar thoughts, voiced this concern out loud and the three of them, now accompanied by the mysterious Astra headed back through the trees towards the sandy and clear landscape that reminded him so much of his islands.

As the emerged onto the beach they came across their first encounter of Heartless. It certainly explained the unusual silence that had preceded them arriving on the sandy shore. Sora immediately sprang to action, taking out a group of Shadows nearby while Riku and Astra took on the more menacing Large Bodies that only seemed vulnerable from the back. During this time both Sora and Riku were observing Astra and her movements. She seemed like a ninja, quick paced and ready to bounce back and forth between one Heartless and another. Her fighting style was surprisingly fluid, even more so than it had been during her fight with Sora. Even Riku was momentarily stunned as Astra used her free hand, thrusting it downwards to send a chunk of ice onto a Large Bodies' head before doing the same to another.

"You just gonna stand there or am I going to have to take these things out by myself?" Astra's question brought Riku back into the realm of reality and he was soon throwing his own free hand Dark Aura projectiles at the Heartless.

Sora could spot Kairi fighting away at her own group of Heartless some ways off and rushed towards her meanwhile cutting through the Heartless in his path. Sora used Sonic Blade to push through the last remaining Heartless before arriving at Kairi's side.

"You okay here?" Sora asked as Kairi ducked low enough for Sora to jump over her and take out an airborne Aerial Knocker Heartless before it could swoop down and attack.

Kairi nodded and looked in Astra and Riku's direction briefly before Judgement Raiding repeatedly to take out the remaining Heartless surrounding them. "Want to introduce me to your new friend?"

"Astra. She's the friend of Luna's that I was talking about," Sora was about to say more when he caught sight of Stitch growling at an approaching Heartless while Lilo was cowering behind him. He sprinted towards them only to feel the familiar sensation of his body locking up. "No, not now!"

"You're pushing yourself too hard Sora. Let me handle this," Kairi said. Sora was about to protest when Kairi gave him a dangerous glare and repeated more imperatively, "Let me handle this."

The determined strength behind Kairi's eyes was all Sora needed to oblige by her command. She was right. If he wanted to save Luna he would need to save up all his strength, especially if it was the Dark Realm they were heading to. Kairi recognized that to get through to his stubbornness, she had to be forceful. Sora wasn't surprised. It was Kairi—she knew him well enough to know that only she could change his mind like that.

Sora sat down as if he had just been defeated and watched as Kairi confronted the unusual Heartless. Turning around Sora could see that it was another Chimera. The humanely turquoise eyes would be enough to drive a person crazy if they weren't so used to fighting Heartless. It was easy enough for them to just not look at the eyes and see the creature as a Heartless instead of a human in a Heartless' body. It was easy… except for the fact that he had to lie to himself to believe that. He didn't want to look away from the unfortunate truth, that these Chimera had been the result of cruel experiments on humans with lives of their own so easily taken away from them.

Kairi threw out another Judgement Raid from the side of the Chimera. The lightning fast flash of light connected with the closest thing to what would be a hip and knocked it away from Lilo and Stitch. Figuring the least he could do was get the both of them out of harm's way, Sora forced himself up off the ground and called for them to come over to him. The Chimera had heard him though and teleported quickly in between to prevent them from crossing the beach. Its movements reminded Sora very much of the Dragoon Nobodies he had fought on previous adventures. If it had a higher capability of thinking then it would prove to be a dangerous foe for Kairi to handle alone.

"Kairi, redirect!" Sora advised loudly enough for her to hear. She nodded promptly and charged her Keyblade before unleashing a wave of light at the Chimera. The creature saw it coming and easily teleported out of the way leaving the wave to carry on. Sora jumped forward quickly to catch it in time before casting Reflect at angle that would redirect the wave back at the Heartless. The light hit the back of the Chimera causing it to arch backwards in a painful shape to where Kairi could use another Judgement Raid at the same time. The two opposing forces were equal enough in power to cut clean through the Chimera's body severing it into two before both halves vanished.

"We sure do make a good team, huh?" Kairi commended watching as the heart swirled higher and higher up into the sky.

"As if there was any doubt," Sora grinned before a sad smile took over. "You know, this isn't getting any easier. We helped Quasi and maybe we can help a few more but… I'm not sure we can help all of them. I hate playing this game of pick and choose. It's like…" Sora's eyes widened and his clicked his fingers upon realizing it. "Like we're still in the middle of Abraxas' game. His goal was that he wanted to break me, make me suffer. I know that we can't save them all and that's what Abraxas was counting on, or still is I guess… that feeling of knowing that you're powerless to save everyone."

"I don't think either of you are powerless. You both seem pretty powerful to me." Lilo said unexpectedly.

"You think so?" Kairi asked blushing slightly.

"Like superheroes out of a comic book! I wish I had the kind of power that you did. Then Mertle wouldn't dare try-"

"Lilo, having the power to do something doesn't mean you can exploit that power. Besides, you already have a power that Mertle doesn't have," Kairi said before pointing at Lilo's chest. "You have a kind and accepting heart. The fact that you were able to befriend Stitch so easily is something that Mertle could never do. The first step to getting people to accept you is accepting yourself. As long as that happens, the only opinion of yourself you'll ever need is your own."

Now it was Lilo's turn to say, "You think so?"

"I know so," Sora said. He looked at Stitch before continuing, "Buuuut if you are still looking to get equal, I know the perfect thing you can do it. How about you look after Stitch for now?"

"I can? Really?" Lilo's eyes grew as big as her smile at this.

"Really. Whether you've noticed it or not by now, you two have something in common. You both want friends and I think that wish brought us here to you. Also, you can even introduce him to a certain someone, if you catch my drift." whispered Sora in a furtive manner. His wink sealed the deal. Lilo beamed and nodded before hugging him and Kairi.

"Lilo, so that's where you've been. Urgh, do you know how worried I've been? You just up and vanished from your room and you didn't even tell me. I thought that maybe _it _had done something to you." Nani said arriving on the scene in deep huffs of relief. Her emphasis on _it _to refer to Stitch made Sora cringe.

"Hey, Stitch isn't an it. He's my best friend now!" Lilo defended.

"That does beg the question though. Why did you leave your room?" Kairi asked. Sora could see Riku, Astra and Yuna approaching them after having finished their own wave of Heartless.

"Stitch said that he wanted to help you find those thingy pieces so we left to find you but we ran into those things on the way." Lilo explained.

"Stitch said that, huh?" Sora looked at the strangely calm and sullen alien who walked over to him and Kairi slowly.

"Sora… Kairi… Riku… friends… Stitch, help friends because… friends help Stitch." he said slowly and clearly. It really was incredible how someone like Stitch could latch onto a single word and use it to become motivated. The word was not simply just a word to the man-made experiment, but a philosophy, one that he could over-analyse and apply to his own life. He was learning to sympathize and become calmer and that was enough for Sora to know that he had been influenced and had developed so much over one day just from that single word.

Sora knew the power that certain words or phrases possessed having used them before but somewhere along the line he felt he had lost that message. Now it was time for Sora to make that same word count for him.

_Friends. They help each other. Wherever you are Luna… I'll definitely find you. _

Two figures running out of the trees disrupted his thoughts. The first person was unmistakably Pete which meant that whoever the second person was couldn't be good news either.

"Looks like we have more unwelcomed guests." Sora said before summoning his Keyblade along with Kairi again. Riku and Astra, who had kept their Keyblades out, went into their battle stances as they joined up with the group.

Pete's jaw dropped at the sight of several key shaped weapons ready to attack at any moment. "Oh, talk 'bout a heap load of bad luck. Now there's four more of you key-wielding brats? I don't know 'bout you but I am so outta here!" he yelled before opening up a corridor of darkness behind him. He backed into it leaving the stupefied and disoriented Gantu alone.

"Looks like he's learning. You might want to follow his example." Sora suggested.

Gantu's eyes fell on Stitch. He was trying to look for some opportunity, any opportunity, to snatch the creature and get out, but no matter how hard he tried, Stitch was too well protected.

He snarled and was about to pull out his blaster when he was crushed under the weight of a re-sized Aqua.

"Get of me! Do you understand who I am? I am Gantu and I will-"

"Oh be quiet," Aqua said casting silence on the loud-mouthed alien. She rolled off him, stood up and checked to make sure she was her normal height. "Seems like whatever he used on me wore off. Thank goodness."

"Aqua! I was wondering what Pete meant by there being more of us. When did you get here?" asked Riku.

"About an hour ago. I received your message and brought this along from Cid's but I'm not exactly sure how to install it." Aqua said. She reached into her pocket and pulled out a purple Gummi Block.

"That'll do. I've never done it myself but I think me and Riku can hook it up. It seemed simple enough when I was watching Chip and Dale do it." Sora replied.

Gantu stood back up and shouted at them, or at least tried to but no words were able to come out of his mouth. He shook his fist at them menacingly (or humorously when considering he was still trying to talk) and clicked his fingers before he disappeared in a white light.

"What a bunch of losers." Lilo stated crossing her arms.

Aqua laughed at this before noticing Stitch for the first time since she had joined up with them. "Remember me?" she asked bending down. It hadn't felt like over ten years, with her being in the Realm of Darkness which ran on a much shorter time span, but to Stitch it must have been that long.

"Ak-oo, wa. Aqua!" Stitch said. Aqua nodded and pulled out her wayfinder before showing it to him.

Sora watched as the two reunited with each other after so long, a cheesy smile playing on his face. Kairi must have noticed because she immediately pushed in his cheek closest to her with her index finger.

"What was that about?" Sora enquired looking quite flustered.

"You're doing it again." Kairi told him.

Sora gave an exaggerated exhale before looking divulging his thoughts. "Well, I'm just thinking. Maybe if a creation like Stitch can learn to change and become his own person, maybe a Chimera can do the same. What do you think?"

"I think anything is possible, so let's hope you're right about that," Kairi said. "I think we should hurry back to the Gummi Ship and install the new engine while these two catch up and rekindle their friendship."

"Agreed. I guess we're heading off." Sora announced nodding at Yuna, Rikku and Paine before dismissing them with the Keyblade.

"Will you be back soon?" Lilo asked.

"Of course, huh?" The appearance of a keyhole in the sky cut Sora off from saying more. Having done this process many times now, he aimed his Keyblade at the lock without much thought and watched as the beam of light pierced the lock.

"Another one bites the dust… so where are we heading next then?" Kairi asked.

"The most dangerous place yet. We're going to find a pathway in to the Realm of Darkness." Sora said. The answer shocked Kairi and even Aqua, who had taken to chuckling at the playful Stitch's tendency to show off, had frozen instantly at the mention of the name. That in turn made him uneasy, but he couldn't afford to doubt Astra's guess now. No matter how terrifying the idea seemed that Luna was all alone there, it was as good a shot as any.


	14. Astra

_Had an amazing dream about fighting and beating the lingering will in KH2 except that it was on the world map for some reason. Since I have 2.5 I guess it's time to make that dream come true. Hope it's the same for everyone else. Anyway, shall we continue? _

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 14<strong>

**Astra**

The humming of the Highwind brought Sora's mind at peace, especially during such a crucial time. His could feel a knot being tied in his stomach as the prospect of nearing the place that would get them into the Realm of Darkness became a nerve-wracking one the closer they came to it.

The question that had been on their minds very shortly after leaving Stitch's new home was where they could find somewhere to get into the Dark Realm. Sora had remembered something in Ansem the Wise's Secret Reports mentioning that Dark Corridors opened up at random times throughout the realm between, thus a place like Twilight Town, Traverse Town or even The World That Never Was naturally would have been the best place to look. That said, they were random so there was no telling where or even when they would pop up.

Aqua turned out to have an answer to this, or at least a guess. Sora didn't like having to rely on guesses but the idea that Luna was in the other realm was a guess in itself so once again he had nothing to lose. Her answer came in the form of a mysterious fog she had seen in Snow White's world. Although she hadn't dared go deep into the fog, she had sensed a familiar darkness coming from it that could only have come from the experience of actually being in a place with that familiar stench.

He felt a hand on his shoulder. He looked up to his left to see Kairi giving him a reassuring nod with her soft, comforting yet confident eyes. Right, Luna wasn't just his friend. He wasn't the only one going through this uncomfortable feeling of an unknowable pressure squeezing his torso. If he was bad he could only imagine how Astra felt. He placed a hand on Kairi's and gaze it a squeeze.

_Oh right, Astra. _

After arriving on the Gummi Ship, she had done little to communicate with the other four on the ship with her. She had located her temporary quarters and had locked herself in. Starting to feel worried he gently moved Kairi's hand away from his shoulder before getting up from his seat.

"I'll see how Astra's doing." Sora said to her and the other occupant in the room, Riku. Kairi nodded with a smile but Riku simply looked his way, his features expressing disapproval.

"_Yeah, I think we get it Riku. Now stop acting all moody."_ was what Sora wanted to say to him but figured that it was Astra's actions that would inevitably make up the silver-haired teen's mind. Sora made for the hallway but not before stopping to grab some food from the fridge.

He soon arrived at two doors adjacent to each other near the end of the hallway, both closed. One of them was the room Kairi shared with Aqua, who was resting up for the journey ahead. He knocked instead on the other door.

There was a painful silence for the next few seconds and Sora was about to leave when the lock clicked and the door opened revealing an incredibly peeved Aqua.

"Whaddya want?" she asked.

"Um, nothing, just, uh- I was just wondering if you wanted anything to eat." Sora babbled foolishly. How she had managed to end up making him feel like an idiot even when tired, he had no idea.

"You woke me up just so you could ask me that?" Astra eyed him almost in a way that made her seem as if she was trying to dehumanize him from a stare alone. Whatever she thought of him wasn't much—that was for sure.

"Oh, you were sleeping. Well, I could just leave it on the desk and then go if you want." Sora said. Inside, he was mentally slapping himself. He felt like he was being overly submissive here, as if he was on a leash being made to do different tricks as his master instructed him to. She was certainly looking for something as a weapon to criticize him with and Sora knew that he couldn't give her that advantage. He just wished he was back with Riku and Kairi.

_Urgh, why do I have to be so kind sometimes? Darn you oh kind Sora. _

"No, please… come in." Astra said before widening the gap between Sora and the door allowing for him to enter. Now that was a surprise coming from Miss Sarcastic. Her voice had portrayed a genuine sincerity and, if Sora wasn't a mistake, a need to it. No, it was probably just her still being drowsy.

Sora laid the plate containing the sandwich he had brought on the desk before propping himself against the wall. He tried to think of something to say. He couldn't begin to guess how she would react when he mentioned certain things. He had usually always found it easy to talk and make friends with someone but Astra was a wild card.

"Sorry I interrupted your sleep. Had any good dreams?" he started, hoping he was going on the right track with this.

"The best." Astra replied.

_Okaaaay that conversation went everywhere and nowhere at the same time, _Sora thought closing his eyes before continuing, "Luna told me she was a dreamer. Was she like that with you?"

"All the time. Her eyes always shone so brightly like the stars when she talked about that stuff, going to other worlds I mean. At some point I… no, maybe some other time. But I was certainly captivated by her otherworldly ambitions… that much was for certain," Astra said heading over to the desk. "Ooh, a cheese and pickle sandwich, my favorite. Looks like you chose wisely Keyblade Master."

"Uh huh, I could tell after you secretly raided our fridge a couple of times over these past few days. Always the same type of sandwich. It wasn't hard to figure out who it was." Sora said.

"There are only five of us on here after all. Well, eight if you count those three pixies that hang out with you guys." Astra said whilst munching into her sandwich.

"I haven't summoned them once since we left Kauai though I'm planning to let them help us once we get into the Realm of Darkness. The more help the better I would say." Sora decided. He really had to get on fulfilling his promise to make them human. The problem was he had no idea where to start with that.

"Just as long as they don't slow me down. I can't afford to screw this up." Astra insisted.

"_We _can't afford to screw this up," Sora corrected before another question crossed his mind. "How exactly did you and Luna become best friends anyway?"

"She didn't tell you- Oh, right… lost memories and all," Astra reminded herself. Sora had made sure to inform Astra on what had happened with Luna the moment they had taken off, even Alexander being lost to the darkness. She had appeared on the surface to take it with nonchalance but he had to assume that she had confined herself to her room because of that news. "Well I suppose it wouldn't hurt to tell you. Since you woke me up and I doubt I'll be able to go back to sleep 'cause of it." She flashed him a cold stare causing Sora to make an audible gulp. Maybe he shouldn't have given her that sandwich after all. She set down the half eaten sandwich and sprang straight into her tale:

_They were like secret lovers passing notes Ping-Pong style under the desk in the classroom. Except they were only friends. The best of friends._

_But this was somewhere in the middle. It had more accurately started on a rainy lunchtime in the school cafeteria. 7__th__ grade in junior high. Astra having picked out her lunch, set off for her regular table with the regular sports track team she always hung out with. She wasn't a picky eater, and had never really fussed over any organized schedule of eating unlike the rest of her friends. Well, that was with the exception of the gruel they served. And the tapioca. And the fruit, she avoided most of that stuff like the plague… okay—maybe she was a bit picky after all._

"_I'm so jealous of you guys. I mean I refuse to eat this food since I'm on a diet at the moment but it looks so delicious." Tabitha groaned attempting to shy her face away from the food on the table but failing on purpose._

"_Uh, why exactly?" Momo replied in a fashion that implied she was offended. In reality, it seemed that such an expression was permanently glued on her face. Astra would never admit it out loud but she didn't like the girl. Not only was her face annoying with her mouth always parted like a blowfish but her incredibly emphasized valley girl accent and chatty nature could leave even the most positive person drained without any effort._

"_Well I have to keep my figure in shape if I want to join the cheerleading squad next year. I can't be slacking off." Tabitha fumbled with her hair as she spoke. She certainly was going to be a looker in the future when it came to attracting boys, anyone could tell that much. Even she knew it and she certainly didn't hide that awareness. Compared to her, Astra had more of a tomboyish personality—something that she doubted was considered an attractive trait._

"_Well considering you already look like a toothpick, maybe it would help to put on a few pounds." Astra jested resulting in a fit of giggles and oohs along the table._

"_Hey, toothpicks don't look this good when I'm through with them usually." Tabitha declared pointing to herself (or more precisely her developing bust) proudly._

"_I don't think we want to know what you do with your toothpicks in your spare time." said Astra before attempting to coax Tabitha into giving up her diet with the spaghetti and meatballs that were on her plate. The others laughed as Astra slid the tray slowly over to Tabitha taking enjoyment in her wincing. _

_A strange silence covered the table. Astra followed the cold stares of her friends to the person they were looking at. Like a puzzle piece that had somehow found its way into the presence of another, the girl clearly didn't fit in the overall picture. She looked at them awkwardly, her mouth trembling as if wanting to say something. Perhaps she wanted to join them. Before Astra could ask if that was what she wanted, one of her friends to her left, Sonata, was quick to jump on the girl's hesitation._

"_I'm sorry, you're blocking our view so could you leave now?" The girl tensed up on the spot at Sonata's snide tone and swallowed. Eventually she turned around and walked over towards one of the only empty tables to sit at it. "She's such a weird one. I feel sorry for her parents." _

"_That girl's name is Luna, right?" Astra recalled keeping her eyes on the girl as she set her head on the table._

"_Certainly fits her the way she stares off into space all day and talks crap about seeing the stars, whatever that's supposed to mean." Momo said. Astra didn't pay much attention in class herself so she couldn't exactly blame this Luna. _

"_Maybe all she needs is a friend." Astra suggested feeling some sympathy. It was starting to come back to her, moments in class where the teacher had called out on the girl's name only for her to spout incredible randomness. Just a few weeks ago when they had been told to give a presentation on what they wanted to be when they were older, said girl had started rambling, albeit dreamily, about wanting to leave Alexander and visit the stars. Actually now that Astra thought about it, her presentation was the one that Astra could remember the most out of the entire class. That had to count for something._

"_Oh she has a friend, her stupid fantasies and the clouds. Other than that, no one would want to be her friend." Tabitha said. She pulled a compact mirror out from her pocket and flipped it open to apply a thick supply of lip balm to what were already moisturized lips._

_Astra pulled her meal back towards her and returned to eating her food. Were it not for the next few critical minutes, she would still be sitting around the same table talking to the same friends about things they usually talked about. She would also have found school life much easier to get through._

_Astra's eyes veered off the food on her tray again to where the girl was sitting. Two boys, both fairly popular in her class and in the year in general, were approaching the girl while whispering and sniggering to each other. Astra had some hope that they would walk past the poor girl but her hopes were dashed when they stopped right behind her. Biggs slammed his tray on the table causing the girl to jump at the unexpected invasion of space. Over the incredibly loud voices filling the cafeteria, it was hard to decipher what he and his friend Wedge were saying to her but Astra was sure it couldn't have been anything good. _

"_One moment." Astra said excusing herself from the table. She got up from the table and walked slowly over to the girl's table. Biggs and Wedge were sitting down on either side of her now undressing her with various questions to which they most definitely didn't care about. They were definitely teasing her, but why hadn't the girl called them out on it? She was a shy one so it only made sense that she was too scared to talk out. _

_Only, the following words she heard from the two boys set alight a fire of fury in her eyes and answered her question at the same time._

"_Come on, hand it over." _

"_I-I told you, I left it at home... I d-don't have it." _

"_Stop lying to us. Just hand over the lunch munny and we'll be on our way."_

"_I don't have it." The girl's voice was almost at an unbearable squeak now, and yet the two boys seemed unrelenting in their conquest to destroy whatever little confidence she had in herself._

"_You're so useless you know that? But I guess we should expect that from Luna the lunatic. This is such a pain." Wedge scoffed._

_With Astra's fists curled up into a ball, she strode over to the table and tapped Wedge on the shoulder. "You two think you can just come in here like you own the place and order someone to do whatever you want? I suppose you'll be able to do that if you end up owning a business in the future and goodness knows how many times I've wanted to order people around but this certainly isn't the place to do it, and certainly not by bullying." _

_Biggs' face turned a bright tomato red before replying, "Hey Astra, just butt out of this alright? This is between us and her." _

_Astra shook her head. "No no no, it's between you and me friends. Just wondering though, what would you have done to her if I hadn't come here to stop you?" she asked darkly._

"_What does it matter to you? No one cares about her anyway. You know something's wrong when not even those dorks in the library will make friends with her." said Biggs loudly allowing for the two to let out a volcanic eruption of laughter. _

_Or she's too afraid to talk to them. _

_Astra looked at the downtrodden girl, a sudden passion arising within her. She didn't know what happened in the next few seconds. She had snapped and lost control. Acted on impulse. Before she knew it, both her hands were reaching out for the two glasses of orange juice that were on each of their respective trays, then she threw both drinks right in their faces. _

_By the time she had recovered Astra was facing the painful silence of the entire cafeteria and two completely drenched boys who, like her, could hardly comprehend what had just happened. Luna's almost tired demeanour had completely gone, now replaced by shock and yet wonder and curiosity at the same time. _

_There was really only one thing that fit Astra's situation right now. "Oh son of a-"_

* * *

><p>"<em>ASTRA! Do not swear in front of the Principal!"<em>

"_I wasn't swearing, I was just about to say I had an itch. I might even be allergic to something in this room," said Astra with a shrug before sniffing. "Are you wearing perfume today Miss Cranberry? I think it smells simply delightful, don't you sir?" _

_Principal Crawley was taken aback by the question for a moment before responding in his usually cool manner. "Oh yes, it's… quite an interesting smell."_

"_Sir!"_

"_B-but that has nothing to do with why you're hear Astra. Not for the first time you are in very serious trouble." Crawley warned with waning attention throwing down her student report file onto the table._

_Astra let out a small smile. She had certainly been in here enough times to know both the Principal and the school secretary inside and out. For example, she knew that even bordering on the age of 50, the man still seemed to turn heads wherever he walked. Even some of the cheerleaders in the upper years would lick his boots if he allowed them to but none more so than Miss Cranberry. She was practically waiting for the day when Crawley asked her to do it. The expensive perfume, the slightly buttoned down shirt… as much as Astra was disgusted by it, she almost felt it within her prerogative to act as the Cupid in getting them together. This in turn benefited her because it would get them to relax on her a little, or at least she hoped._

"_Look, can we just get this over with? We know the standard procedure by now, you list all the horrible things I've done since the beginning of the year and I nod my head pretending to sound interested except that I'm not. Then you warn me that if I cause further disruption to the class you will be forced to bring my grandmother in and I nod and say that I understand and will never do it again. Huh, if there was an exam on my life I think I'd get an A in it without much effort." Astra summarised sarcastically. _

"_I'm sure you would, in fact you did pretty well on your English test so I know you can do well if you put your mind to it but the fact is you don't seem bothered. And now this incident-"_

"_Okay, this time it wasn't me. Well, it was kind of me but it kind of wasn't. Two boys in my class, Biggs and Wedge, they were bullying another girl in my class, Luna, and I decided to step in and teach them a thing or two. Actually now that I think about it, wouldn't it be your fault? Aren't you supposed to be checking to make sure incidents like that don't happen? I mean, I'm not telling you how to do your jobs or anything but, well yeah, I telling you how to do your jobs. Maybe you should check up on your priorities. Yep."_

_So Astra stepped out of the principal's office with another warning and feeling quite powerful. She had managed to convince the principal to investigate into her claims though she didn't expect any immediacy to the whole thing given her tendency to tell fibs in the past._

"_Um, your name is Astra, right?" _

_Astra turned to see the girl she had been defending trying to form a smile on her face. She clutched to her chest a book, a thick one at that which no ordinary 12 year old girl would dare consider reading, or at least not Astra._

"_That's right." said Astra. Well, this conversation is off to a great start._

_Luna stared at the ground for a while, her mouth opening slightly and closing. Astra figured that she had to be the one to move the conversation along._

"_Listen…" They both said at the same time. They looked at each other before letting out a fit of giggles._

"_You first." Astra prodded. _

"_No, go ahead please."_

"_I'm not talkin' if you're not talkin' sista." Astra joked._

_Luna nodded with an adorable smile that Astra had never seen from the girl before, not that she had been paying much attention until today anyway. "Well, I wanted to just say thank you for helping me. Why did you help me anyway?" she asked. _

"_So I should've left you instead? No way am I gonna stand back and watch someone get bullied around by the whole school. It's kind of pathetic." Astra answered._

"_I am kind of pathetic huh?" mumbled Luna with a sad smile._

"_I- I didn't say you were, I said-"_

"_It's okay," Luna said with a giggle. "I am pathetic. I try to fit in but no one seems to want to be around me. I can understand if you're the same. You have friends and probably think I'm weird." _

"_I don't… think you're weird," Astra refuted. OK, maybe you are weird but… "But I suppose I helped you because I was intrigued? I don't know. Even if you are weird, that's not really a bad thing. If anything it means you're less boring that all the other people here. I admire that. You're a dreamer." _

"_Yeah, a dreamer grounded in a little girl's body," Luna replied before asking, "So does that mean you believe me? About seeing the stars I mean?"_

"_Sure. Who's to say one day we might not be able to go out there. It'd certainly be more enjoyable than this place. I'm counting on you little trooper." Astra said. _

"_Thanks, but… you don't want to be seen talking with me. I've already caused enough trouble for you as it is. Sorry, I'll be going now." Luna said. She was about to walk off down the corridor when Astra made a quick decision._

"_Wait!" she called after the girl. Luna stopped short and looked back at Astra. "You hang out at the library usually, don't you? I guess it's time for a crash course in reading books."_

* * *

><p>Astra had never forgotten the warm and appreciative smile Luna had given her after she had said that. In hindsight, if she had to question whether she had made the right choice on that day, it would be impossible to say she hadn't for the days with Luna then and thereafter were the best of her life. Additionally, she had come to gain a respected (or feared she supposed) reputation for defending Luna. From that moment onwards Astra's life really had dramatically changed to passing notes under the desk and having lunch under the oak tree in the school field. Luna had shown Astra that having even one true friend was enough to repair the cracks that had been in her heart that however many fake friends couldn't repair.<p>

It's also why Astra couldn't forgive Sora if they were too late to save her.

"We're here." Kairi told them. Astra felt something churn in the pit of her stomach. It felt like these last nine months of searching were culminating and were about to explode and bring about some amazing conclusion. She was nervous. Who wouldn't be after not seeing their best friend in so long?

Her feet seemed foreign as she stood up. Her heart was beating rapidly. One concerned look from Sora told her to stop this foolishness. It was only Luna and she couldn't be seen to be acting weak now in front of them. She inhaled and exhaled deeply before following Sora and Kairi out of the room.

* * *

><p>Astra's story was still on Sora's mind as he arrived at the entrance to the mine. It was really until she had mentioned those things about Luna's past that he had begun to see some of her actions in a different light, and even his own inability to prevent it. Luna had felt insecure and unsure of herself, and while she had become an amnesiac after her world had been destroyed, the feelings from her memories had remained. She had thought the Keyblade a way to prove that she wasn't those things, that she could be confident in herself. In the end, he was the one who tried to take that confidence away by telling her that he didn't want her travelling with him anymore. Even though he had meant it as a way of protecting her, it had done more harm than good.<p>

"Sora, are you listening?"

"Huh, sorry what?" Sora asked snapping out of his deep thinking. He amused himself by thinking that he could have put Pooh Bear to shame with the many things on his mind at the moment.

"We're almost there Sora. Just a little longer," Aqua said seeing the pain in his eyes. "I was asking if you were prepared because once we step in there there's no going back."

"Yeah, I've stocked up on potions and ethers. I'm as ready as I'll ever be." Sora replied. It was thanks to the Beginners Level Synthesis Kit that Kupopo had supplied to them that they were able to have as much supplies as they did. It wasn't just him. Everyone was stocked up on items just in case something went wrong.

"Sora, you don't have to do this. What if you're paralysis starts acting up again. I'm not sure we can take that risk." Riku reasoned.

"You're right Riku, things haven't exactly gone my way lately, but we've been through this before back at Radiant Garden, remember? If I didn't think I could do this I wouldn't be here, but I am. Either way, I made a promise that I would rescue Luna and I'm going to meet her with a smile." Sora said. Riku's stare had Sora fear that he was about to strike down Sora's counter with his own thus erupting into another argument. Instead he smiled and chuckled giving him a nod.

"We'll all go in with smiles. As long as we share that one hope, that will be what drives us and keeps us going," Aqua agreed before chuckling. "You really do remind me of Ven sometimes. I guess he rubbed off on you."

"Sora has a lot of people rubbing off on him, but it also works the other way around." Kairi said.

"Oh dear, this is gonna be one of those moments isn't it?" Sora asked in a monotone voice.

"I'm afraid that's one danger you'll have to face on your own," Riku said with a hearty laugh. "But maybe we should save the teasing for after we've rescued our friend. I think someone's getting a bit impatient over us messing around." He looked at Astra who was in the process of checking her fingernails.

"Oh, don't mind me. I was just comparing my nails with Kairi's. Are we done yet or do we all want to go to the dwarves' house and have a tea party while we're at it?" she complained.

"She's right, there's no time to waste. Let's go." Riku said.

Sora could feel a change in atmosphere as they stepped into the mine. Or maybe it was an internal fear that was creeping up his body slowly and dramatically. He only hoped they weren't too late.


	15. Light at the End of the Tunnel

_Almost at the end of the Luna Rescue Arc. Just one more chapter to go before I get to do my favourite part: the Disney world selections. We already seen Hunchback's return, some Lilo and Stitch and hint of another world, so what's next I wonder? Well how about a world that I've wished to appear in the series for a while? Also, if there are any requests for FF characters to be added in the story, please feel free to tell and I'll try to see how I can fit them in. It will actually become pretty easy to do that after a certain point in the story anyway. _

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 15<strong>

**Light at the End of the Tunnel**

_Falling asleep was not the easiest thing for the giddy four year old Luna to accomplish. Her eyes darted around the room aimlessly searching for something to take interest in. Eventually her eye movement came to settle on her teddy bear lying on the bed next to her. She placed it on her stomach and started dancing with it uses its hands and legs. _

"_Luna, are you still up?" her mother's voice called out from the landing. The bedside lamp that lit up Luna's room kind of gave away that she was still awake._

"_Yes mom. I'm trying to get to sleep but I can't," Luna replied before sitting up. "Buuuut, it might just help if you were to read me a story." _

"_Oh you are such a sneaky little one, aren't you?" Kaylah said slipping through the door eliciting a giggle from Luna. Her mother sat on the bed and ran her hand through Luna's hair affectionately._

"_And what story would you like me to tell you today I wonder?" she asked. "Swashbuckling pirates charting through unknown waters in search of the ultimate treasure? Of a thieves who dedicated their life to stealing from the rich to give to the poor? Or maybe you're a follower of breadcrumbs in a creepy forest?" _

"_Something new please!" Luna said leaning her Teddy on her pillow next to her so he could also enjoy and hear._

"_Well, that's certainly gonna be a toughie to crack. Let's see... Oh, you remember those shadows that you were certain came out at night?" Kaylah asked. Of course Luna remembered, in fact, despite her mom and dad's dismissal of her claims, she was sure that she saw strange shadows pop up in her bedroom at night every once and a while. It was why she couldn't get to sleep now._

"_Well you don't believe me so-"_

"_I saw them too, when I was your age." Kay confided. _

"_You did?" Luna asked. Why had her mother chosen to leave this out in their previous conversations about this? For a girl her age this seemed like so much of a crucial detail that she had to get down to the bottom of it as soon as possible._

"_It's not just me either. Everyone has at one point or another seen something that they've chosen to dismiss and forget. There's never at time that one hasn't imagined something to be hiding under their bed or in their closet. But you know what? What people don't really take the time to understand is that it's those shadows which are actually afraid of us." Kay said. Luna didn't really understand._

"_They're scared… of us? But why?"_

"_Because we have something they don't, and knowing that frightens them. It's because of the light in our hearts Luna. It's something only they can really see and we can only guess as to what it looks like but we just know it's there." Kay answered. _

"_And what happens if they get that light?" _

"_They can't, that's the thing. Their hope only extends to the darkness from which they come out from. As long as that shadow's limit is its own shadow, then they can never reach you. It's only when you let them reach you by fearing them that they finally can move out of their prison._

"_There was once a child who loved to look out and see the moon. Every night she'd stare out of the window and watch, the full ones in particular were the best as you might guess. Minutes passed, and she felt as if she could never tire of its beauty. One day however, a large shadow appeared over the moon blocking it from view. The girl feared that the moon would never be seen again and so she went out in search of a way to bring the moon's light back. No matter how hard she tried though, she could not find the moon again but instead… she herself had become lost in the process of trying to find it. She couldn't find her light, or so she thought. _

"_But then she felt it—the smallest of warmth but a warmth none the less. It provided a comfort and guarantee that she had thought only came from the moon. Her first thought was that the moon had come back, but it turned out to be the light from her heart telling her that she had nothing to worry about. She chose to believe in it instead of running away and, coincidentally, or maybe not, the moon returned in all its beautiful glory the next night." Kay finished. By the time she had, Luna had sunk comfortably into her pillow more than she had ever done so before._

"_So I shouldn't worry then. But it's just a story right? Right?" Luna asked. _

_Her mother simply smiled before kissing her on the forehead. "There's a truth to every story. We just have to look hard to find the truth within the lies sometimes. Or maybe I really am making it up." she said shrugging. _

"_Oh go to bed mom." Luna said leaning forward to throw a pillow at her mother._

_Kaylah dodged the pillow expertly before slipping off the bed. "You first. Goodnight." Kaylah said chirpily before leaving the room. Luna smiled and quickly went to retrieve her pillow before wrapping herself under the warm covers of her bed. She reached forward for the lamp and switched it off, immediately surrounding herself in darkness._

Surrounded by darkness… right now, Luna's favorite place to be certainly wasn't that. The camp she had set up as her new safe zone had been enough to provide her with a night's (or whatever felt like one) shelter. It would not last long however, for she could feel the Heartless on the move and ever nearing her location. She watched the ball of flame that she had used to warm herself a few minutes before go out completely before getting up on her feet and pushing on.

She had finished traversing the seven paths and locking the keyholes in each one. She felt she had at least deserved some compensation for her hard and life-threatening work but she was only humouring herself in this place of isolation. She didn't even know what purposes locking these keyholes served except for her guess that they returned them to the realm of light. Her guess could easily be confirmed if she returned to where Alexander was supposed to be but she was stuck here on the other side.

She clutched Sora's crown necklace while thinking of the memories she had shared with him and everyone else. She had been doing that a lot lately as if she was struggling to maintain whatever hope was left in a heart that was drowning in the blackness of despair. Even if she were to leave this place, would everything be the same again? Somehow she doubted that. And if not, what remnants of her past self would be in that light? To know that, she would have to know what this realm had taken from her and there was only one way to find that out.

"No. I have to believe that everything will be the same. Of course it won't if I don't at least try to make it that way. It will only be scary if I think it so. Right, mom?"

* * *

><p>The group of five stood in front of the dense fog that had been found not too far from the mines entrance. According to Aqua, that fog had the tendency to move about from place to place so he was thankful that they didn't have to travel far to find it. If he didn't know any better about the place he was about to head into, he would have considered luck to be on their side.<p>

He had been in this fog twice already. Once in the Pride Lands, and it had almost turned a pride of peaceful lions into vicious and impatient carnivores indulging in their hatred. It certainly hadn't made the already existing feud between the Pride Landers and the outsiders any easier. The second time had been the last time he had seen Luna. He had heard strange whispers in the fog though deciphering any of it was impossible, because that's all it was to his ears.

Aside him he could hear the others discussing the nature of the fog. "Where did it come from I wonder? Is this why we've been unable to see worlds on the scanner that we otherwise would have?" Riku questioned.

"So is this the same fog as the other ones then? I mean you mentioned it appearing in the Pride Lands right?" Kairi said referring to Sora.

"Yeah but… it changed the lions' personalities there. Also I was in it when I was fighting Abraxas. I heard something at the time but I'm not sure what it was. I'm guessing that either it wasn't the same fog…"

"Or maybe it has different properties in different areas. If only there was some way to analyze it." Riku said.

"How can we be sure that it leads into the realm of darkness though? What if it leads to another world which has nothing to do with it? I mean look at the objects around us." Kairi pointed out. As she had said, there were various objects misplaced around the mine and farther in that didn't seem as if they had come from this world. They were sure enough the fog had brought them here but to which world or even worlds they belonged remained to be seen.

Questions, questions, questions. Growing impatient, Sora threw his arms up. "Well none of that matters now! Standing here won't help a thing. If Riku and Aqua say that the fog is familiar to them then that's good enough for me. From here on out, we just have to trust our gut feelings and do this. No regrets." he avowed.

"Okay, let's do it," Riku agreed. He had only gone three steps when he stopped and looked at Kairi. "Oh, um, I just remembered. There's no easy wait to put this but… I don't think Kairi can come along with us this time."

"Huh, why? She's proven that's she just as capable as us at handling the Heartless." Sora defended.

"I don't doubt that but she's a Princess of Heart, remember? Her safety comes first. Also her light will be strong enough to attract any of the Heartless in the area. What we need to do is move quickly, find Luna, and get out." Riku explained.

"Oh yeah," Sora mumbled and watched Kairi's expression carefully. He could tell from her lack of one rather that she was having some difficulty trying to accept this. When Riku glanced at him, he knew his word would be the swing vote. "Kairi, let's be honest here. Excluding Aqua, you're probably the best out of us when it comes to magic and if this were anywhere else I'd definitely have you with us but it's not just somewhere, it's the realm of darkness. There pretty much already a one in a million shot of success and if Luna isn't there then we'll have just ended up putting you in danger for nothing."

"No, it's okay. I understand," Kairi said not looking at Sora directly. She sniffled and cleared her throat before pulling a familiar star shaped charm out of her pocket. "It's my-"

"Lucky charm. Be sure to bring it back to you. Gotcha," Sora said opening his palm for Kairi to place it there. He couldn't even begin to imagine how Kairi must have felt knowing that she had been left out simply because she was different from them but he would have to make it up to her later. He looked at it and smiled before putting it in his pocket. "We'll be back as soon as we can. I promise."

"Time's a wasting, let's get a move on." Astra said. Sora nodded to Kairi and backed away before twisting around and facing the strange fog. It was weird how contained it seemed to be, like it was hitting against a wall except that when Sora outstretched his hand, he found nothing solid there.

Stepping through this fog was perhaps the hardest thing had done in a while. Not because there was some external force preventing him from entering, but because he was afraid of whatever he might find on the other side. When he had ran through this same fog while trying to rescue Luna from Abraxas it had been on sheer impulse and without thinking of the consequences. He figured he should try to approach it like that, looking forward to what was at the end of his journey, not what was in between.

The fog grew thicker and thicker until he could only see misty white around him. He could just barely see the others walking beside him. He was about to question whether they were still in the mines when they emerged out on the other side.

"So this is the realm of darkness? You wouldn't think it was connected to the realm of light just by looking at it, but the stars…" Astra said tensing her fists upon the immediate difference in atmosphere. Darkness took the place of misty white which the various purple and red swirls and orbs lighting the sky. But about the stars… There were stars as well but they didn't seem to twinkle and shine as bright as they usually did. That wasn't the problem though. It was the fact that there were any stars in the Realm of Darkness at all, a place where no light usually shone. Sora had only been here for a short time once and even he could tell that much. "Just how big is this place anyway?"

"It's called the realm of darkness, you figure it out." Riku countered rudely.

"Though I do know she means. We could be here for days and we still wouldn't find her." Aqua said.

"Well we don't have that long, Kairi's on the other side waiting for us!" Sora exclaimed. He was ashamed to admit out loud that he was almost expecting to a solution to present itself to their problems but something like that seemed unlikely. Just then a binding flash of light and a sudden weight in his hands alerted him to the Keyblade's presence. It wouldn't have been weird if not for the fact that he hadn't summoned it. "What's going- agh?" Sora marvelled as the Keyblade jolted forward on its own as if it had wanted to rip its owner's socket off. A bright glow lit up the weapon as it pointed down one of the paths that they had the potential of walking.

"I think your Keyblade wants us to follow it, Sora." Riku stated with a wry smile.

* * *

><p>Luna dodged to the side as the third Darkside of the trio that had decided to tag team her threw a punch. She recovered on footing and stepped back a bit before using a Wind Raid to attack all three at once.<p>

"No good." Luna muttered to herself as she watched the Keyblade have little effect on hurting the Darksides. Had they gotten stronger somehow?

This time two of them attacked at once, burying their fists deep into the ground and releasing Neo Shadows from the pools of darkness that they had formed. Luna used their arms as walls, alternating between one and the other by kicking off them and ascending until she reached the height of their heads. She twisted her entire body and cut through both heads taking them both out.

Before she could land on her feet however, the final Darkside caught her mid-air. Luna tried to scream but all that came out were light gasps as she felt her body constrict and her bones on the verge of breaking. Eventually, the Darkside smashed her into the ground along with his fist. Luna couldn't move. She was in too much pain to do anything let alone think. Out of the corner of her eyes she saw more Darksides appearing and moving in.

_This is it. This is it. I won't see them again, _she kept repeating over and over in her head. She only hoped the end would be a quick one. She gave up on moving her individual muscles and watched as a gigantic fist floated above her head ready to put her out of her misery. But just before it reached her, light erupted from the crown necklace on her neck. She closed her eyes to prevent the sudden and close entity from blinding her. Even limiting her senses of sight, the warmth provided from that light was welcoming and, more importantly, familiar.

When she next opened her eyes, she found herself alone and her vision slowly fading. Sora's necklace was still faintly glowing and even though she felt as if her body was entirely devoid of energy, the comfort provided by the necklace was all she needed.

_This light… it feels… good. Maybe I'll sleep, just for a while…_

* * *

><p>The group cut through the countless spawning Pureblood Heartless as they made their way to wherever it was the Kingdom Key wanted to take them. He had an idea though, or at least wanted to believe, that it was guiding them to Luna.<p>

"Sora, duck!" Riku yelled quickly. Sora bent forward and felt Riku use his back as a support to launch a couple of well-aimed Dark Aura blasts to clear the path. Having specialised in magic, Aqua stayed at the back and cleared away any incoming enemies with her magic.

Sora had also summoned Yuna, Rikku and Paine who were doing their best to distract certain Heartless so that the others could take them out without having to face much pressure.

This left Astra who, along with Riku and Sora, was more physical and up front in her attacks. Her speed and strikes were what surprised them most as they continued through the infinite abyss. She couldn't have been doing this for more than a year and yet she was already on equal terms with her acquaintances.

"Astra, how did you learn to fight like that?" Sora asked once they had taken out the Heartless in the area. He kept his eyes on his independently pointed Keyblade as he talked. "And you were using magic with your free hand like it was nothing. I can understand if you were a powerful magician or maybe you've been close to the darkness… unless you are-"

"Don't be ridiculous. If I were even slightly interested in the darkness, I wouldn't have needed your help," Astra refuted. "I've heard tales of people who were able to cloak themselves in darkness and fully hide in the shadows. They were never seen unless they wanted to be seen and they also used those shadows to travel. Your friend Kairi is a Princess of Heart so I'm wondering if those with pure light could do the same but with the light."

"Now that's a scary thought. Fighting an enemy that's entirely emerged in shadows. How would you even fight such a thing I wonder?" Yuna enquired moving her index finger to her lips thoughtfully.

"Simple. You turn off the light," Astra said. "Sometimes no matter how hard you try you just can't fight shadows with light because those shadows are made from it."

"And you heard this from… Moira's Crescent?" Riku asked Astra with scepticism.

"And you got your attitude from…?" Astra responded just as snidely. "I don't have time for this. Let's just hurry up and rescue my friend, I can't stand another second in this place."

"Here's to the unanimous agreement. I've been here once before and never did I think I'd ever come back. But you know, if it means helping my friends then I'm glad that I could be of any help." Aqua said smiling.

"Looks like you'll be helping a whole lot more. Here they come!" Paine shouted pointing to the alarming numbers of Heartless approaching them. Aqua pulled in front and quickly used Magnet to draw in some of the Heartless before taking them out with Fission Firaga. To Sora, the many sounds of appearing and vanquished Heartless were a constant reminder that they were on borrowed time. Surely Luna could not have taken this many Heartless on her own, especially considering the state she had been in beforehand. No, he was underestimating her. When it was time to run, he believed Luna would do what was best, and if she thought she could handle it then he would believe in her all the same. That's all that needed to be said.

Their road took them past upside down and sideways rock pillars all the while dealing with the unwavering determination of the Heartless to interfere at every single step. He started to doubt that they were getting anywhere. After all, the same repeating landscape as they walked seemed to tell him that they were going in circles.

They soon passed another set of cliffs blocking the way to see a line of light shooting up into the sky up ahead. Now they knew they weren't going in circles.

"That light…" Astra was first to speak, a smile forming on her face unlike any others Sora had ever seen. There was no sarcasm behind it but instead a true happiness and relief that Sora had known when he had arrived back on the islands with Riku and Kairi. "She has to be up ahead."

"Astra, wait up!" Sora yelled but she had already set off and was leaving them behind. Before he could call out to her again, he felt the ground shake underneath his feet. He ended up falling only for Riku to be there to catch him by the arm. "What's going on?"

"I can feel the darkness approaching," Aqua said looking left and right before letting out a startled gasp. She turned to face Sora, Riku and the pixies and looked above them. "Get down!"

Aqua's warning was too slow to stop the tornado of thick dark wind that hit them. Sora felt himself immobilised and unable to hear anything else except for the tempestuous howling of the wind. Occasionally he saw glimpses of small yellow lights moving throughout, and came to the conclusion that the Heartless were also riding this storm and looking for opportunities to attack.

He felt an arm grab him and yank him up. He hadn't even realized that he had fallen down. A barrier wrapped itself around him formed and suddenly he could see Riku, Aqua and the Gullwings clearly by his side.

"We need to get to Astra!" Sora yelled against the ongoing storm.

"We have to wait until this storm lifts. It's not safe!" Riku said just as loudly.

_And she is? Who's to say this storm will ever let up? _

Making up his mind, he apologised quietly to them before breaking away from the barrier. He could hear Aqua and Riku shouting his name in worry but he ignored them and walked slowly into the heart of the storm. Though his walking speed was severely impaired, he was nowhere near as unable to move as he had been a minute ago. He silently praised himself on whatever willpower he had just discovered, but even that was slowly being drained by this intense rush of darkness the inhibited his senses.

A Dark Ball came from Sora's right and attempted to chomp away at him only to bite at Sora's Keyblade. The glowing light that illuminated the weapon vanquished the Heartless instantly. Sora activated _Ars Arcanum _and used it to increase his speed by cutting through the thick black wind. Eventually he emerged from the storm and dropped the Keyblade in fatigue.

"Might wanna consider using an ether, no?"

Sora looked up to see Astra's sardonic grin looking down on him, possibly trying to make herself look bigger than him. Sora guessed that she either had a superiority complex, was sadistic, just enjoyed specifically watching Sora hurt, or all three of them. Sora let out a mild grunt and drank down an ether before using the Keyblade to pull himself up. He spun around hoping that at any moment Riku and Aqua would emerge from the wind. The sound of three pops by his ears caused his to jump.

"Did we scare ya? Huh, did we, did we?" Rikku asked hyperactively with a cheesy grin.

"How did you three get out of there? What about Riku and Aqua?" Sora grilled.

"Well you did summon us so I guess we're able to teleport to wherever you are. Man, it really is poopy though that we have to come to your aid whenever you tell us to. I mean, what if I'm in the bathroom and you suddenly call me?" Yuna asked.

"Too much information." Astra muttered shaking her head at the inappropriate comment. Sora could agree with her on that one.

"If you're worried about your friends, don't. They're taking care of the situation. They told us to go on ahead and help you guys out." Paine answered Sora's second question. He wondered at first if it was truly okay to be separated from the others but Astra wasn't the least bit interested in debating this.

"If that's how it is, there's nothing we can do except head towards that light now." she appeared to concede, though it was obvious from her uncaring expression that she had shown no interest in waiting anyway.

* * *

><p>They were nearing the strange light now and with this, the road had opened up to become wider. The dread and nerves that had taken hold of Sora's stomach from the moment he had stepped off the Gummi Ship increased ten-fold. Either the Keyblade was trembling in his hands, or it was his hands that were doing the trembling. He should have thought about this sooner, but he had no idea as to what the first words he would utter from his mouth to her would be. It had finally hit him that three months was a long time, and his last memory had been of her letting go off his hand and falling into the darkness.<p>

Sora brought his right sleeve to his eyes and rubbed at them. They were stinging for some reason. He couldn't let her see him like this, though he imagined that when he saw her again, convincing himself not to cry would go straight out of the window.

"Luna!"

Sora removed his sleeve from his face. Astra had already left his side and ran towards the unconscious Luna, kneeling once reaching her and cuddling her. Sora caught up with Astra and was immediately captivated by the peaceful smile playing on Luna's face. Her rising and falling chest at least indicated that she was still alive and that was more than enough to comfort him.

Astra was not as easily accepting of her current state. "She looks so pale. C'mon Sea Salt, wake up. Tell me you're okay." she urged while putting the back of her hand against Luna's forehead.

What was he to do here? Sora simply stood there and watched as Astra offered her words of encouragement, and while he wanted to say or do anything, he found that no words would come out of his mouth. Seeing her here like this, pale and out like a light, forced Sora to once again acknowledge that he had been partially to blame for her ending up like this. He was sure if he tried to say anything, Astra would say the same.

For a moment, his eyes briefly fell upon the glowing crown necklace around Luna's neck. Maybe, just maybe, he was partially responsible for keeping her safe as well then. She's hadn't been alone at all. She had carried a piece of him too when she had ended up here.

Before he could start pondering why the necklace had even glowed in the first place, he was launched to the side by a powerful force. Astra looked up but was unable to prevent herself from being launched as well.

Sora felt as though he were suspended in the air for more than a few seconds before finally coming back down and almost rolling off the edge of the path. He rolled over onto his back and looked around from that position only to find nothing there.

"Astra, you okay?" He yelled out while trying to search for the mysterious creature.

"Well I think I broke something." Astra grunted before getting up. She summoned her Keyblade and walked slowly over to Luna while glancing left and right. She began dragging her Keyblade across the ground and occasionally tapping it.

Sora was baffled by her reaction to this invisible Heartless but the vulnerable Luna lying in the middle of the road dispelled whatever questions he would have posed to her. He stood up and rushed towards Luna again only to be knocked away just as he reached her.

"You idiot. Don't you see the Heartless is using her as bait to lure us in?" Astra scolded.

"What? How would you know that?" Sora asked. He hurriedly took out a potion from his pocket and drank it, the heavy and painful feeling on his chest left by the impact of the attack slowly reverting back to normal.

"I didn't. It was just a theory, until you proved it for me anyway. Nice job genius." Astra said offering a slow and annoying clap.

Sora let out a snarky laugh in reply before looking back at Luna. The Heartless was using her as bait? That almost seemed to imply that the Heartless was thinking, biding its time for the opportune moment. Was it another Chimera?

_But there's no way I can fight like this. Not with Luna in the middle like that. Damn it! _Sora lowered his head and pounded his fist into the ground angrily. If it could strategize, then it knew that both Sora and Astra were at a disadvantage.

"You're giving up already after coming this far? And what makes you think you deserve to see Luna again? Maybe she would better off without you."

Sora gave Astra a dirty look possibly for the hundredth time since he had first met her before shaking his head and standing up. "I don't know what thoughts you've conjured up in your head about me or what Moira's Crescent told you, but I'll tell you now that you don't know the first thing about me. I may be down, but I'm by no means out."

Astra grinned and raised her Keyblade above her. "Then prove it."

* * *

><p><em>In case I don't update this before Christmas, I'd just like to say have a Merry Christmas. Of course, if I do update (which since I'm in the mood to finish this arc of I guess that will happen) then this automatically becomes obsolete and goes onto the next chapter. And now for some more Adventure Time- seriously this show is so addicting!<em>


End file.
